Sanctions Imposed on Seven Individuals for Racist Behavior towards Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr.
The consequences of racist acts directed at Real Madrid’s talented Brazilian forward, Vinicius Jr., have been determined, with seven individuals facing punishment for their actions.
Four men have been fined 60,001 euros (£51,700) and handed a two-year ban from stadiums for their involvement in hanging an effigy of Vinicius near Real Madrid’s training ground back in January. The arrests of these individuals took place 11 days prior to the recent court decision, after which they were released on bail.
Additionally, three other individuals, aged between 18 and 21, were fined 5,000 euros (£4,300) and received a one-year ban for making racist gestures during a match between Real Madrid and Valencia on 21 May. The police detained these individuals two days following the game.
The sanctions were issued by Spain’s State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance in Sport, as confirmed by the country’s Sports Commission on Monday. It is worth noting that Vinicius had his red card for violent conduct rescinded in the same match, and he later expressed his disappointment, stating that he believed the Spanish league “belongs to racists.”
La Liga president Javier Tebas faced widespread criticism for his response to the incident, including his social media comment to Vinicius urging him to “inform himself properly.” Tebas later apologized to the 22-year-old, clarifying that his intention was not to “attack” him.
In light of the racial slurs, the Brazilian government called for severe sanctions against those responsible, and La Liga expressed its commitment to seeking “more sanctioning powers” to effectively address and punish such incidents.
As part of an anti-racism campaign, Brazil is scheduled to play friendly matches against Guinea and Senegal in Lisbon on 17 and 20 June, respectively.