Tuesday, June 11, 2024 -Three Valencia fans have been handed eight-month jail terms for racist abuse towards Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, in what Spain's La Liga said was the first such conviction in Spain.
The defendants, who were not
identified, were convicted of an offence against moral integrity with the
aggravating factor of racially motivated discrimination, Valencia court
said.
They were also slapped with a two-year
match ban. With no previous criminal record, none will serve jail time as
judges habitually suspend prison sentences of less than two years for
first-time offenders.
La Liga hailed the ruling as
"the first sentence handed down for racist insults in a Spanish football
stadium".
"This sentence is very good news
for the fight against racism in Spain," said La Liga president Javier
Tebas.
incident "It sends a clear
message to anyone who goes to a football stadium to hurl insults that LaThe took
place on May 21, 2023, when Real Madrid played away to Valencia at the stadium will
find and prosecute them and that they will face criminal consequences."
during a match that saw home fans hurling
abuse and chanting monkey noises at the Brazilian forward.
The play was halted as Vinicius stood
in front of fans and pointed at those responsible, prompting stadium officials
to demand an end to racist insults before the match could resume.
All three "shouted and chanted at the
player with... evident contempt for the colour of his skin... making racist
gestures of contempt and causing him to feel frustration, shame and
humiliation", court documents showed.
It said they were "simulating
the gestures made by primates and repeatedly making... the sound made by
monkeys" in front of a full stadium and a "massive" TV, radio,
and media audience.
In a statement, Real Madrid said the trio
had admitted their wrongdoing and sent a letter apologising to Vinicius, the
club and to everyone else "who felt belittled or offended by their
behaviour", urging fans to avoid all expressions of "racism and
intolerance".
0 Comments