Four people have been handed suspended jail sentences after being found guilty of committing hate crimes against Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr.
The quartet were found guilty of hanging an inflatable effigy of Vinicius Jr over a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground in January 2023, shortly before Atletico Madrid’s Copa Del Rey match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
A banner above the effigy read: “Madrid hates Real”.
Three of the group were sentenced to 14 months in prison, while one was given a 22-month sentence for distributing images of the act online.
However, the sentences have been suspended after all four signed a letter of apology to the Brazil international, Madrid, La Liga and the Spanish football federation (Rfef).
The sentence included a restraining order preventing the quartet from coming within 1km of Vinicius, his home or Real Madrid’s training ground, as well as a blanket ban on attending La Liga or Spain national team matches.
According to Real Madrid, 14 people have now been convicted of racist attacks against the club’s players.
“This criminal conviction comes in addition to the several already handed down in recent months for racist insults received by Real Madrid players at the stadiums in Valladolid, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca and Madrid,” the club said in a statement.
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