Latest news with #FrenteAtletico
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jail sentences handed out to quartet behind hanging of Vinicius Junior effigy
Four people have been convicted of hate crimes and threats against Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, following an infamous incident in 2023 ahead of Madrid derby. The members of the organisation have been linked to Atletico Madrid ultra group Frente Atletico. It was ahead of a derby clash between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in 2023 in the Copa del Rey, when the night before the game a blow-up doll wearing a Vinicius shirt was hung from a bridge on one of the Spanish capital's main motorways. It was also in the vicinity of the Valdebebas training ground, increasing the chance of the Brazilian and his teammates seeing the effigy. Accompanying the effigy was a large banner saying 'Madrid hates Real'. Four sentenced in connection with incident After two years of investigation and court proceedings, four people have been convicted of hate crimes and making threats, as per Diario AS. One has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for the hate crime of racism, and a further seven months for making threats. They received a heavier sentence as a result of having publicised the act on social media. Image via Europa Press Advertisement The other three convicted of the incident received seven months in prison for hate crimes, and seven months for threats. They have also received fines between €720 and €1,084. Increased conviction rate in Spanish football La Liga were the first to pursue the case in court, and until last year, Spanish football had never seen a jail sentence handed out due to hate crimes. However with the torrent of abuse Vinicius has received, there has been an effort, whether sufficient or not, to step up measures against racial persecution. There have now been several convictions handed out though, this the most harsh of the punishments given out. Nevertheless it remains an all too common issue in Spanish football.
New York Times
15 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Four Atletico Madrid fans handed prison sentences over Vinicius Junior effigy
Four members of Frente Atletico — the radical group of Atletico Madrid fans — have been handed prison sentences by a Spanish court for the hanging of an effigy of Vinicius Junior from a bridge near the Real Madrid training ground in 2023. The mannequin, which was clad in a Vinicius Jr Real shirt, was hung next to a 16-metre banner which read 'Madrid hates Real' and was displayed hours before the Madrid derby in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on 26 January, 2023. Advertisement The Provincial Court of Madrid on Monday sentenced one of the defendants to 15 months in prison for a hate crime, and an additional seven months for making threats. The other three defenders were given seven months in prison for a hate crime and a further seven months for threats. Their prison sentences will be suspended, provided they complete a course on equality and non-discrimination. The defendant handed the longer sentence was deemed to have amplified the impact of the effigy by posting a video online, and was fined €1,084 (£893, $1,213). The other three defendants were fined €720. The four defendants were handed restraining orders, restricting them from being within 1 kilometre of Vinicius Jr's home or place of work — Real's training complex in Valdebebas — and from any form of communication with the Brazil forward. They were also banned from being within a 1km radius of any football stadium during La Liga games or those organised by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), including reserve and women's team matches, for four hours either side of kick-off and full-time. All the bans will be in place from four years from the conclusion of their sentences. The defendant who posted the video online was banned from working in education, sports or with young people for four years and three months, while the others received bans of three years and seven months. All defendants signed a letter of apology addressed to Vinicius Jr, Real, La Liga and the RFEF. The proceedings were initiated following a complaint filed by La Liga, which joined the case as a private prosecutor. In a statement announcing the ruling La Liga said: 'This ruling marks a strong step forward in the fight against hate and discrimination in sport. La Liga reaffirms its unwavering commitment to eradicating any form of racism, violence, or intolerance both inside and outside football stadiums.' Advertisement The four defendants were arrested by Spanish police in May 2023 and handed restraining orders restricting them from going within 1km of Vincius or 100 metres of Real and Atletico's stadiums while the case proceeded. The effigy was hung from a bridge on exit number five on the M-11 road — close to Real Madrid's training facilities at Valdebebas. The prosecutor claimed the four defendants showed 'an unmistakable sign of contempt and rejection of the victim's skin colour and motivated by a desire to undermine his sense of wellbeing' by hanging an inflatable doll-like mannequin, 165cm in height, with black skin and black hair, from a rope. Atletico Madrid and La Liga both condemned the hanging of the Vinicius Jr mannequin at the time, with Atletico labelling it 'repugnant and inadmissible'.
