Four Found Guilty of Hate Crimes Against Vinicius Jr
Suspended sentences and match bans issued after effigy incident targeting Brazilian star
- Four individuals have received suspended prison sentences after being convicted of hate crimes
- Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was the target
- Vinicius publicly urged La Liga to take stronger action against racism in football
Four individuals have received suspended prison sentences after being convicted of hate crimes targeting Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr.
The convictions stem from a disturbing incident in January 2023, when the group hung an inflatable effigy of Vinicius Jr from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground. The act occurred just before Atletico Madrid’s Copa del Rey clash at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. A banner reading “Madrid hates Real” was displayed above the effigy.
Three of the perpetrators were sentenced to 14 months in prison, while the fourth received a 22-month sentence for sharing images of the act online. All four sentences were suspended after the defendants submitted a formal apology to Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid, La Liga, and the Spanish Football Federation (Rfef).
In addition to their suspended sentences, the group has been banned from coming within one kilometre of Vinicius Jr, his residence, or Real Madrid’s facilities. They are also prohibited from attending any La Liga or Spain national team matches.
Vinicius Jr, who joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in 2018 and has made 316 appearances for the club, has been a repeated target of racist abuse. In September 2022, he was subjected to racist chants by Atletico Madrid fans during a La Liga fixture. Later that month, he faced similar abuse during a match against Real Valladolid, resulting in five people receiving suspended sentences.
In December 2022—just one month before the effigy incident—Vinicius publicly urged La Liga to take stronger action against racism in football, calling for lifetime bans for offenders.
