Seven men have reportedly been sanctioned for racially abusing Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior.
According to a report by 90min, a Madrid court sitting this week fined the seven men and gave them stadium bans for their provocative gestures towards Vinicius.
The Brazilian winger has been subjected to racial abuse throughout 2023, with the most recent incident coming last month in Madrid’s game against Valencia.
The forward was targeted by a section of Valencia fans in that game and reported to the referee, even pointing out a fan. But the best that was done in the game was to pause the match. Then, in a controversial twist, Vinicius Junior was later sent off for lashing out at a Valencia player.
After the game, Vinicius Junior took to social media to condemn La Liga for normalising racism by stating that the league ‘belongs to racists.’
However, the red card he received from the game against Valencia was revoked, and now three persons that racially abused him have been fined.
According to the report by 90min, the three men that perpetrated the act on that day at the Mestalla have been fined €5,000 and banned from stadiums for one year by Spain’s State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport.
The other four convictions concern an incident in January when some Atletico Madrid fans hung an effigy of Vinicius from a bridge ahead of a Madrid derby. Four people involved were fined €60,000 and given two-year stadium bans.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian FA and Spain have moved to strengthen relations between both countries and tackle racism.
Spain’s football federation (RFEF) announced that the national team will play Brazil next March as part of an anti-racism campaign under the theme: “We are all alike.”
The RFEF president Luis Rubiales and his CBF counterpart, Ednaldo Rodrigues, said they would reinforce their commitment against violence in football.
The RFEF and the CBF said in a joint statement that they hope the match can “reinforce the commitment of both entities against violence in football and to intensify the already existing good relations” between the two countries, with a venue in Spain yet to be determined.
“This action, in collaboration with my friend Luis Rubiales, will be important to further reinforce the need to fight vehemently against racism in all corners of the planet,” Rodrigues said.
Spain last played against Brazil at the 2013 Confederations Cup, and this would be the tenth time the two countries will meet.