A Madrid court has imposed suspended jail sentences ranging from 14 to 22 months on four defendants convicted of hate crimes for displaying a racist effigy of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior. The incident occurred before a Copa del Rey match against Atlético Madrid in January 2023, when perpetrators hung an inflatable black figure wearing the Brazilian's number 20 jersey alongside a banner reading "Madrid hates Real."
According to La Liga's statement, the primary defendant received a 15-month sentence for hate crimes plus 7 months for online threats after distributing footage of the act. The three accomplices each received 14-month sentences (7 months per charge). All avoided prison by submitting formal apologies to Vinicius, Real Madrid, La Liga, and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
Additional penalties include:
- Four-year work ban in educational/sports settings for the main offender
- Three-year stadium bans during official matches
- €1,084 fine for the primary defendant and €720 for others
- 1km exclusion zones around Vinicius' residence and workplace
- Mandatory anti-discrimination education programs
This ruling represents the fourth conviction in the past year involving racial abuse against the 24-year-old footballer. Previous cases include:
- Three Valencia fans sentenced to 8 months for stadium abuse (June 2024)
- A Mallorca supporter imprisoned for one year with stadium ban (September 2024)
- Five individuals receiving suspended sentences for 2022 stadium abuse (May 2025)
Vinicius, currently competing in the FIFA Club World Cup, has not publicly commented. La Liga has filed multiple formal complaints regarding racial targeting of the Brazilian international since 2022, establishing legal precedents against discrimination in Spanish football.
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