Madrid Court sentences Four in Vinicius ‌Jr. Effigy ​Hate Crime

Updated June 16, 2025

A Madrid court has handed down suspended ⁤jail sentences to four people convicted of a hate crime for ⁤hanging‍ an effigy of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior from a bridge ‌in January 2023. La Liga, Spain’s top football division,‍ confirmed the sentences, which range ‍from 14 to 22 months.

The incident ‍involved a banner reading “Madrid hates Real” and an inflatable black effigy wearing a⁢ replica of Vinicius ⁤Junior’s No. 20 jersey. The display occurred before⁤ a Copa‌ del Rey match against Atletico Madrid.

The individual who posted the video​ of the​ effigy online received a longer disqualification,barred ‍from working in educational or sports settings for four years and three months,according to La Liga.The other three received bans of three years and seven​ months.

While one defendant received a 15-month⁣ sentence for the hate crime plus seven months for making ​threats online, the other three each received seven-month sentences for ⁣both ⁣the hate crime and the threats. ⁢However,⁢ none will serve prison time after they all signed apology⁢ letters to Vinicius, real Madrid, La ‌Liga, and the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

Along with the suspended sentences,the ⁢primary defendant⁣ was fined 1,084 euros⁣ ($1,257),while the others were fined 720 euros ($835). All four are subject to a 1-kilometer⁢ (0.6 miles) restraining order from Vinicius, his home,⁣ and his workplace.They are also banned from approaching football stadiums during La Liga or RFEF matches. The role of education is key to their rehabilitation.

The ⁣sentences will be suspended on the condition that all four participate in an‍ educational program focused on equal treatment and non-discrimination. Neither⁣ the court nor Vinicius Jr.,⁤ currently playing in the FIFA Club World Cup in the ‍U.S., have issued immediate statements.

Repeated Racial Abuse

La⁤ Liga ⁣has filed multiple complaints regarding racial abuse and threats directed at ⁣Vinicius Junior in recent years. These incidents ‌highlight the importance of addressing the role of‍ racism in sports.

In June 2024, three Valencia fans received eight-month prison sentences for hate crimes against Vinicius⁤ from May 2023. This marked Spain’s frist conviction for racist insults in a football stadium.

Last September, a Mallorca fan who racially abused Vinicius in February 2023, and Samuel Chukwueze, a former Villarreal player, were each sentenced to a year in prison and given three-year stadium bans.

five individuals received 12-month suspended sentences and ⁣fines last month⁢ for racially abusing Vinicius during a December 2022⁣ match. This ​was a landmark ruling, the‍ first in Spain to condemn racist insults in a football stadium as a hate ⁣crime.

What’s next

The focus now shifts ⁤to the effectiveness of ‍the educational program and whether it will⁣ deter future incidents ⁣of ‍racial abuse. ⁣Further legal actions ​and preventative ⁣measures are anticipated to combat racism in Spanish football.