Vinicius Junior, the Real Madrid forward, has reacted following the sentencing of three Valencia soccer fans to prison for hate crimes over racist abuse directed at him during a La Liga match, asserting himself as “a tormentor of racists.”
The Valencia Magistrate’s Court sentenced the three fans to eight months in prison on Monday, marking the first conviction for Spanish soccer fans accused of racist behavior toward players. The court’s statement confirmed that the defendants insulted Vinicius with racist shouts, gestures, and chants during a May 2023 game between Real Madrid and Valencia.
The convicted individuals, whose identities remain undisclosed, pleaded guilty to the charges. Given their status as first-time offenders and the non-violent nature of the crime, they are likely to have their sentences suspended, a customary practice in the Spanish legal system.
In addition to the prison sentence, the defendants are prohibited from entering soccer stadiums for two years and were ordered to cover the legal costs.
Vinicius expressed satisfaction with the conviction through a statement on social media, where he emphasized his stance against racism. “Many asked me to ignore it, many others said that my fight was in vain and that I should just ‘play football,'” Vinicius wrote. “But, as I’ve always said, I’m not a victim of racism. I am a tormentor of racists.”
He continued, “This first criminal conviction in the history of Spain is not for me. It’s for all black people. May other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows. Otherwise, I’ll be here to collect. Thank you to La Liga and Real Madrid for helping with this historic conviction. More to come…”
The incident occurred during a 2023 La Liga match hosted by Valencia, which resulted in a 1-0 victory for the home team. The game was briefly halted in the second half due to the racist abuse directed at Vinicius, prompting a public address announcement condemning such behavior.
Following the incident, Vinicius vowed on social media to “go to the end against the racists,” emphasizing that racism is unfortunately commonplace in La Liga.
La Liga president Javier Tebas commended the court’s ruling, stating that it represents a significant step in combating racism in Spanish football.
“This ruling is great news for the fight against racism in Spain as it repairs the damage suffered by Vinicius Jr. and sends a clear message to those people who go to a football stadium to insult that La Liga will identify them, report them, and there will be criminal consequences for them,” the statement reads.
Real Madrid also reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating racist behavior from the sport.
“Real Madrid, which has brought private prosecution together with Vinicius Junior in this procedure, will continue working to protect the values of our club and eradicate any racist behavior in the world of football and sport.”
