Three Valencia fans handed prison sentences in Spain for racially abusing Real Madrid and Brazil footballer Vinicius Jr | Football News

Three unidentified fans of football club Valencia were on Monday handed eight-month prison sentences after pleading guilty to racially insulting Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior. This is the first conviction for racism at a professional football game in Spain, and came after a complaint filed La Liga.
The defendants read a letter of apology during the hearing. The rac chants occurred on May 21, 2023 during a La Liga game at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium. The rac chants had sparked widespread support for Vinícius, who is Black, and galvanised a series of campaigns.
The fans were found guilty of a “crime against moral integrity” with “aggravating circumstance of discrimination based on rac motives”. The fans were also banned from entering any stadium in which La Liga and/or Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) matches are played for a period of two years.
“The ruling handed down today, which is final, establishes as proven that the three defendants insulted Vinicius with shouts, gestures and chants referring to the colour of his skin,” the court said in a statement on Monday. “These shouts and gestures of a rac nature, consing among other things in the repetition of the sounds and imitating the movements of monkeys, caused the footballer feelings of frustration, shame and humiliation, with the consequent undermining of his intrinsic dignity.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas called the ruling a “clear message”.
“This ruling is great news for the fight against racism in Spain, as it goes some way to redressing the disgraceful wrong suffered Vinicius Jr and sends a clear message to those individuals who go to a football stadium to hurl abuse,” Tebas said in a statement.
Vinicius, 23, helped Real Madrid win the La Liga title and the Champions League last season. He was named the Champions League’s player of the season and is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player in October.
Sixteen incidents of rac abuse against Vinicius have been reported to Spanish prosecutors La Liga over the last two seasons. In March this year, Vinicius broke down in tears at a press conference and said he was struggling to stay motivated and enjoy playing football due to the continuing abuse, and urged the authorities to take action.