A Spanish court sitting at Mallorca has sentenced a Mallorca fan to a 12 months suspended prison term. The sentence is for hurling racist insults against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Villareal’s Samuel Chukwueze (now at Milan). The lawsuit, jointly filed by La Liga, Real Madrid and Villarreal against the fan, sought action against him for racially insulting Vinicius in a league encounter in Son Moix on February 5, 2023 and another instance involving Chukwueze two weeks later.
In addition to the suspended 12 months sentence, the fan was handed a three-year ban from football stadiums within Spain. Real Madrid put out a statement in reaction to the decision. It reads, “The suspension of the prison sentence has been made after the defendant showed his remorse, with a letter addressed to Vinicius Junior, having completed an equality and anti-discriminatory program.”
Vinicius has been one of the most vocal and central figures in the fight against racism in football, especially in Spain, having been a subject of constant racial insults since his move to Madrid in 2018. An important highlight in his struggle against racism came earlier this year during a tearful press conference where he talked about his experience of racism in Spanish football.
In other news, a minor has also been given a one-year van from football stadiums in Spain. The minor had directed a racial abuse towards Madrid and France midfielder Aureliem Tchouameni during a league game against Mallorca in April. Furthermore, he was hit with a fine by the Spanish Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, in addition to an apology by him and a promise to undergo socio-educational programs indicated by the prosecutors.
