The Provincial Court of Valladolid has issued a guilty verdict against five individuals for a hate crime, following the insults hurled at Vinicius Jr. during a football match.
Conviction for racist insults
Each of the accused has been sentenced to one year in prison for the acts that occurred on December 30, 2022, at the José Zorrilla Stadium in Valladolid.
The defendants ratified their guilt, accepting the sentence imposed after an agreement between the parties.
Incident Details
The events unfolded during the match between Real Valladolid CF and Real Madrid CF, on matchday 15 of LaLiga Santander. The insults occurred around the 88th minute, when Vinicius Jr. was heading to the bench after being substituted.
The insulting expressions were recorded by fans and spread on social media.
The insults were uttered with the undeniable intention of humiliating and harming the player’s dignity for obvious racist reasons.
Provisional conclusions of the Prosecutor’s Office
Consequences and repercussions
These acts generated a great public impact, both nationally and internationally.
Vinicius Jr. renounced receiving compensation for the damages suffered. The accused, for their part, acknowledged the facts, admitted the racist component of their expressions, and apologized.
As part of the agreement, the defendants agreed not to attend football matches in public stadiums during the period of suspension of the sentence.
Statement and additional measures
The sentence includes a conviction for five hate crimes and discrimination, resulting in one year of imprisonment for each defendant.
In addition, four of those processed must pay a fine of nine months at a rate of six euros per day (1,620 euros), and the fifth, a fine of nine months at a rate of four euros (1,080 euros).
The Court also imposed special disqualification from exercising educational, sports, and leisure professions or trades for a period exceeding three years.
The execution of the prison sentence has been suspended for three years, during which the accused must avoid committing new crimes, be at the disposal of the court, and communicate any change of address.
