Along with prison time, the Madrid court has also fined them.
Four individuals have been convicted of a hate crime involving racial and ethnic hatred after hanging an effigy of Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior two and a half years ago. The Madrid court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 14 to 22 months.
The incident took place in January 2023, just before a Copa del Rey match between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. A mannequin made to resemble Vinícius was dressed in a No. 20 jersey and hung from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground. A banner was also placed alongside it that read, “Madrid hates Real.”
Following a complaint filed by La Liga, the four were arrested later that year. On Monday, a Madrid court found them guilty.
In a statement, La Liga said one of the individuals was sentenced to 15 months for the hate crime and an additional seven months for spreading images of the act online and issuing threats.
The other three were each sentenced to seven months for the hate crime and another seven months for making threats.
The court also imposed fines: the first defendant must pay €1,084, while the other three were fined €720 each.
In addition, none of the four are allowed within 1,000 meters of Vinícius’s residence or workplace (Real Madrid’s training ground).
They are also banned from being within 1,000 meters of any stadium during matches under La Liga or Spanish Football Federation jurisdiction—from four hours before kickoff to four hours after the game ends.
However, because all four signed letters apologizing to Vinícius, Real Madrid, La Liga, and the Spanish Football Federation, their prison sentences have been suspended.
Since joining Real Madrid in 2018, Vinícius has been repeatedly subjected to racist abuse from opposition fans.
In June last year, three Valencia supporters received suspended eight-month jail sentences for targeting him with racist abuse.
Just last month, five people were sentenced to one year in prison—also suspended—and were heavily fined for abusing Vinícius during a match at Real Valladolid’s stadium in December 2022.
That ruling was described as “historic” because it was the first time racist abuse in a Spanish football stadium was officially recognized as a hate crime.
