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In March of 2023, three soccer fans hurled racist insults against Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior during a La Liga match in Valencia, Spain. Today, they are in jail.
In an historic court case, the three men were found guilty of a “crime against moral integrity”. Prosecutors argued their racist insults were an “aggravating circumstance of discrimination based on racist motives.”
All three were sentenced to eight months in prison. The sentence also bans them from entering most of Spain’s football stadiums for two years.
The guilty verdict marked the first conviction in Spain’s history for racism at a football match.
La Liga, the professional football league that officially brought the case, and Real Madrid both praised the court’s decision.
Vinícius Júnior issues powerful statement after verdict, telling other racists to “be afraid”.
Vinícius Júnior, who refused to be silenced in his pursuit of justice again the racist fans, also issued a powerful statement.
“Many asked me to ignore it,” Júnior wrote on Twitter (X).
“Many other said that my fight was in vain and that I should just ‘play football’. But, as I’ve always said, I’m not a victim of racism,” Vinícius Júnior continued.
“I am a tormentor of racists.”
Júnior, a forward on the Real Madrid team, grew up in São Gonçalo, Brazil. He joined his first football team at the age of ten, and played in his first professional game just eight years later.
During his six years with the team, he’s scored dozens of regular season goals, leading Real Madrid to multiple victories.
For Vinícius Júnior, fighting back against the racism he experienced on the field was just not about him. It’s about fighting to protect the rights and respect of everyone else in Spain who’s experienced similar attacks.
“This first criminal conviction int he history of Spain is not for me,” Júnior’s statement went on to say. “It’s for all Black people.”
“May other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows. Otherwise, I’ll be there to collect.”
