Three fans who racially abused Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior during a match in May 2023 have been sentenced to eight months in prison.
On Monday, the three fans were found guilty of "crimes against moral integrity -- aggravated by racially motivated discrmination," according to ESPN. The trio was also banned from attending games at Mestalla Stadium for two years and have to pay several fines. They were originally sentenced to a year in prison, but a judge shortened their time to eight months after the defendants accepted criminal responsibility.
However, the defendants lawyers asked to have their sentences suspended, which is common in Spain for people who have been sentenced to less than two years. The judge in the case will give their ruling on the request at a later hearing.
"Many asked me to ignore it, many others said that my fight was in vain and that I should just 'play football'," Viní wrote on X in Portuguese, according to Google Translate. "But, as I've always said, I'm not a victim of racism. I am a tormentor of racists. This first criminal conviction in the history of Spain is not for me."
He added, "It's for all Black people. May other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows. Otherwise, I'll be here to collect. Thank you to La Liga and Real Madrid for helping with this historic conviction. More to come…"
In May 2023, Viní saw a person who had been bullying him throughout the matchup between Real Madrid and Valencia with racially abusive comments and gestures. Viní took it upon himself to call out Spanish authorities, who he felt didn't handle the situation properly. The incident sparked a worldwide discussion and received heavy media coverage.
La Liga, the professional football division that Real Madrid plays in, praised the ruling and claimed this is a necessary step in pushing back against racism in Spain.
"This ruling is great news regarding the fight against racism in Spain," LaLiga president Javier Tebas said. "It redresses the wrong suffered by Vinícius Júnior and sends a clear message to those people who go to a football stadium to hurl abuse. LaLiga will identify them, report them and there will be criminal consequences for them."
