Three Valencia football fans were sentenced to eight months in prison on Monday for hate crimes against Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr, the first conviction for racist insults in a soccer stadium in Spain, the court announced.

Valencia

Three Valencia football fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for hate crimes against Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. This marks the first-ever conviction for racist insults within a soccer stadium in Spain, as announced by the court. The incident occurred at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium during a league match, where the fans directed racist slurs at Vinicius.

The fans, who pleaded guilty, were also banned from entering football stadiums for two years and required to cover the costs of the proceedings. Prosecutor Susana Hizbert highlighted the significance of the verdict, emphasizing that such acts are punishable as hate crimes. The sentence takes into account factors such as repentance and public apology, contributing to the suspension of the execution of the sentence.

In Spain, those convicted of non-violent crimes with sentences less than two years typically avoid jail time if they have no prior convictions. Therefore, the three fans are expected to remain free unless they reoffend. The racist abuse incident last year attracted widespread support for Vinicius Jr. and led to local and international campaigns against racism. Vinicius, who played a crucial role in Real Madrid's La Liga and Champions League triumphs, was named the Champions League player of the season and is considered a top contender for the Ballon d'Or award.



Valencia fans convicted for racist abuse against Vinicius Jr

Three Valencia football fans on Monday were sentenced to eight months in prison for hate crimes against Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. And according to the court, it's the first-ever conviction for racist insults in a soccer stadium in Spain. The events happened at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium in May of last year, when racist slurs were hurled at Vinicius, who was black, during a league match. The three supporters, who pleaded guilty to the charges, were also banned from entering football stadiums for two years in order to pay the costs of the proceedings. Prosecutor Susana Hizbert responded to the verdict outside the courthouse. People should know that this type of act is punishable. It is punishable as a hate crime because the sentence is for moral integrity, with the aggravating factor of hate. And it is also very important that one of the factors taken into account for the suspension of the execution of the sentence is the fact of repentance and a letter of public apology, as well as the fact of not going near not only the stadium, but also stadiums where official matches are held. In Spain, prison sentences of less than two years for non-violent crimes rarely require a defendant without previous convictions to serve jail time, so the three football fans are likely to remain free unless they commit further offenses. The racist actions last year led to an outpouring of support for the Brazilian forward and galvanized a series of local and international campaigns. This past season, 23-year-old Vinicius helped Real Madrid win the La Liga title and the Champions League. He was named the Champions League player of the season and is one of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or for the world's best player in October.

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