Vinicius Junior abuse: Four found guilty and sentenced after hate crimes and threats targeting Real Madrid forward
Four people have been given suspended prison sentences after being found guilty of hate crimes and abuse targeting Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
The group were found guilty of hanging an inflatable effigy of Vinicius in a replica shirt over a bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, shortly before a Copa del Rey tie against Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu.
A large banner reading 'Madrid hates Real' was also put on display.
After a complaint was lodged by LaLiga, four arrests were made later in 2023. A court in Madrid then handed down the guilty verdicts on Monday.
Three of the defendants were sentenced to 14 months in jail while one was given a 22-month sentence after distributing photos of the act online.
They will not serve prison time, however, after all four signed a letter of apology to Vinicius, Real Madrid, LaLiga and the Spanish football federation (RFEF).
'In the ruling, one of the defendants was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a hate crime and an additional seven months for making threats, having disseminated images of the act online, thereby amplifying its impact,' LaLiga said in a statement.
'The other three were each sentenced to seven months in prison for hate crimes and seven months for threats. In addition, the first defendant was fined €1,084 and the other three were fined €720, along with additional measures.'
These measures include a 1,000 metre restraining order from Vinicius, his home and his workplace, and a ban on approaching football stadiums during LaLiga or RFEF matches. They are also prohibited from contacting the Brazilian international.
Real Madrid also issued a statement which read: 'The defendants have acknowledged their actions, expressed their remorse, and publicly apologised. Each of them has been found guilty of a hate crime, and another of threatening Vinicius Jr.'
The club said 14 people have now been criminally convicted for racially abusing their players in several stadiums in Spain and on social media.
They added: 'Real Madrid, which, along with the player, has acted as a private party in this case and in many others currently underway, will continue working to protect the values of our club and eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football.'
Vinicius has been subjected to racial abuse on several occasions since joining Real.
Last summer, three supporters were sentenced to eight months in prison and banned from stadiums for two years after abusing the 22-year-old at Mestalla in 2023.
In May, five Real Valladolid supporters who racially abused Vinicius in 2022 were hit with suspended 12-month sentences and significant fines.
One month before the effigy was put up, Vinicius had urged LaLiga to ban those found guilty of racist chanting from attending matches.
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