three fans sentenced to eight months in prison for racist insults towards Vinicius, the Real Madrid striker

A first copy, which calls for others. It took a lot of noise, and international support, for racism in Spanish stadiums to finally be taken seriously. Monday June 10, three Valencia supporters have just been sentenced to eight months in prison for having uttered racist insults against Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid striker, during a Spanish championship match, May 21, 2023 , at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia.

According to local football authorities, who at the time had only taken specific measures, this would be a first in the country, plagued by problems of racism, even if the three individuals should not go to prison, the sentences of less than two years are generally not carried out in Spain.

The defendants were convicted of violating “moral integrity“aggravated by”discrimination based on racism“, announced the Superior Court of Justice of Valencia in a press release. They were also given a two-year stadium ban and were charged with the procedural costs linked to the case, opened in the wake of the facts, as they expressed their “regrets“.

Real Madrid, which had taken the initiative for the complaint, welcomed this sentence in a press release, specifying that the three supporters “made public a letter of apology addressed” to Vinicius. For his part, Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish Football League (LaLiga), underlined “great news for the fight against racism in Spain“, which launches “a clear message to people who go to a football stadium to utter insults“.

This is a first victory for Vinicius, who has already been the victim of racism on several occasions in the league, in Barcelona or Madrid, against rival Atlético in particular. Attacks which have been repeated this season and which have pushed the player to speak publicly about this relentlessness, which affects him deeply, he who has often denounced the inaction of the country’s authorities. In the past, he had already received the support of many personalities from football and Brazil.