Overview

• The Audiencia Provincial de Valladolid sentenced five Real Valladolid fans to one year in prison, suspended under conditions, for racist insults directed at Vinícius Jr during a December 2022 LaLiga match.
• This is the first time in Spain that stadium-based racist abuse has been classified and sentenced as a hate crime under the Penal Code.
• The court also imposed fines ranging from €1,080 to €1,620 and disqualified the individuals from working in educational, sports, or leisure professions for over three years.
• The accused admitted their racist intent, issued public apologies to Vinícius Jr and others affected, and agreed not to attend football matches for three years.
• The ruling sets a legal precedent in combating racism in Spanish football, with LaLiga and Real Madrid acting as private prosecutors in the case.