Five Valladolid fans given suspended prison sentences for Vinícius Júnior hate crime

Five Valladolid fans who abused the Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior have been given suspended prison sentences, in what La Liga described as a landmark ruling that condemned racist insults hurled in a football stadium as a hate crime.

The case goes back to Madrid’s 2-0 win in December 2022 at Real Valladolid’s José Zorrilla stadium, during which several fans hurled racist abuse at the Brazilian. The individuals were later identified using images and videos published on social media.

A court in Valladolid convicted the fans, sentencing them to one year in prison and fines of up to €1,620 (£1,364). The prison sentences were suspended on the condition that the defendants do not commit further offences and refrain from entering stadiums hosting official national competitions for the next three years.

The ruling was hailed by La Liga, which described it as an “unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in sports in Spain”.

Previously, courts had considered racist chants to be an offence against moral integrity, with race as an aggravating factor. “The fact that this ruling explicitly refers to hate crimes associated with racist insults reinforces the message that intolerance has no place in football,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

The view was echoed by Real Madrid. In recent months, courts in Spain handed down sentences over racist abuse at stadiums in Valencia, Palma de Mallorca as well as Vallecas stadium in Madrid, the club said in a statement.

The ruling from Valladolid, however, felt different. “On this occasion, the hate crime convictions represent a unique recognition of the offensive nature of these behaviours.”

Vinícius, 24, has long been at the forefront of fighting racism in La Liga after being subject to racist abuse at more than 10 Spanish grounds. Last year, he laid bare the toll exacted by years of racist insults, telling reporters the abuse was chipping away at his desire to play.

In recent months, his efforts have yielded progress; late last year police in Spain arrested four men accused of coordinating an online hate campaign against him, while in 2023 four people were arrested over accusations of hanging an effigy of Vinícius from a Madrid bridge.

In November, he again addressed his fight against racism, describing it as a continuing battle that he was happy to take on, but adding that he “can’t fight all that Black people have been suffering” alone.