Overview
- A Madrid court convicted four individuals of hate crimes and threats for hanging an effigy of Vinícius Júnior and a “Madrid hates Real” banner from a bridge before a January 2023 Copa del Rey match.
- One defendant received 15 months for a hate crime and seven months for threats after distributing images online, while the other three were each sentenced to seven months on both charges.
- All four signed apology letters to Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid, LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation and must complete a programme on equal treatment and non-discrimination to suspend their jail terms.
- They were fined €1,084 and €720, hit with 1,000-metre restraining orders around Vinícius Júnior’s home, training ground and stadiums, and barred from attending matches organised by LaLiga or the Spanish Football Federation.
- Real Madrid and LaLiga noted this brings to 14 the total number of convictions for racist offences against the club’s players since 2022.