A Spanish court has sentenced four individuals who were responsible for hanging an effigy resembling Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior from a highway bridge two years ago, according to a statement released by La Liga on Monday.
The individuals were convicted of hate crimes for suspending a black mannequin marked with Vinícius’ name in Madrid, ahead of a Copa del Rey clash with rivals Atletico Madrid in January 2023 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
The effigy, which was strung by its neck from a bridge near the Valdebebas training ground, was accompanied by a banner that read, ‘Madrid hates Real’.
One of the perpetrators, who shared footage of the act online, received a 15-month prison term for a hate crime and an additional seven months for issuing threats.
The remaining three were each given seven-month sentences for hate crimes and another seven months for threats. Their prison time will be suspended on the condition that they complete an educational course on equal treatment and non-discrimination.
The defendant who posted the video online received a special disqualification from working in education, sports, or recreational youth settings for 4 years and 3 months, while the others received 3 years and 7 months.
The first defendant was also fined €1,084 and the other three were fined €720. In addition to these penalties, the court barred all four of them from approaching within 1,000 metres of Vinícius, his home or Real Madrid’s training facilities.
They are also restricted from being within 1,000 metres of football stadiums during the four hours preceding and following any matches organised by La Liga or the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Furthermore, they are forbidden from initiating any contact with Vinícius for four years following the completion of their prison sentences.
According to prosecutors, the group had ties to a radical Atletico Madrid fan faction with far-right ideological leanings.
All four issued a formal apology addressed to Vinícius, Real Madrid, La Liga and RFEF, which contributed to a reduction in their sentences under the grounds of reparations.
La Liga participated in the proceedings as a private plaintiff.
‘The ruling marks a strong step forward in the fight against hate and discrimination in sport,’ La Liga said in its statement. ‘La Liga reaffirms its unwavering commitment to eradicating any form of racism, violence, or intolerance both inside and outside football stadiums.’
In a related development, five fans of Real Valladolid were convicted in May for racially abusing Vinícius in 2022. This marked what the league described as Spain’s first legal recognition of racist abuse in a football stadium as a hate crime. ALSO READ: Five Valladolid fans given suspended jail sentences for Vinícius Júnior ‘hate crime’.
Additionally, three Valencia supporters received eight-month prison sentences last year after admitting to racially insulting Vinícius during a 2023 fixture. While these convictions represented the first related to racism in Spanish professional football, they were categorised under crimes against moral integrity, with the added weight of racist discrimination rather than hate crimes specifically.
Vinícius has been one of the most vocal figures in confronting racism in La Liga, having endured racist abuse at over ten stadiums across Spain. Last year, he broke down during a press conference when he publicly described how the repeated abuse was eroding his motivation to continue playing. ALSO READ: Vinícius breaks down while talking about racist insults he’s suffered in Spain.
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