Four people have been handed suspended jail sentences by a Madrid court after being found guilty of a hate crime related to an effigy of Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr, Spain’s LaLiga said in a statement on Monday.
They were all involved in hanging a banner reading “Madrid hates Real” and an inflatable black effigy in a replica of the Brazilian’s No. 20 shirt on a bridge before a Copa del Rey match against Atlético Madrid in January 2023.
According to the ruling, one defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a hate crime and an additional seven months for making threats, having distributed images of the act online. The other three were sentenced to seven months in prison for hate crimes and seven months for threats.
They will not serve prison time, however, after all four signed a letter of apology to Vinícius, Real Madrid, LaLiga and the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF).
“The defendant who posted the video online received a special disqualification from working in education, sports, or recreational youth settings for four years and three months, while the others received three years and seven months,” the LaLiga statement said.
The first defendant was fined 1,084 euros ($1,250) and the other three 720 euros (roughly $834), with additional punishments including a 1,000-meter restraining order from Vinícius, his home and workplace, and a ban on approaching soccer stadiums during LaLiga or RFEF matches.
They will all be required to participate in an educational program on equal treatment and non-discrimination in order for the prison sentences imposed to be suspended.
There was no immediate confirmation from the court and no immediate reaction from Vinícius.—CNN
