Madrid Court Issues Suspended Sentences for Hate Crime Against Vinicius Jr.

Four individuals have been given suspended jail sentences by a court in Madrid, following their conviction for a hate crime related to Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr., according to a LaLiga statement on Monday. The case involved a derogatory effigy and banner unfurled before a key Copa del Rey match.

The court ruled that one person will face 15 months in prison for the hate crime and an additional seven months for threats, primarily due to circulating images of the incident online. The other three were sentenced to seven months for the hate crime and seven months for issuing threats. Nonetheless, actual jail time was waived after the convicts issued apologies to Vinicius, Real Madrid, LaLiga, and the Spanish soccer federation.

The individual who uploaded the video's received a four-year disqualification from working in education, sports, or youth recreation. Fines and additional penalties, such as restraining orders and stadium bans, were also imposed. All offenders will take part in an educational program on equality to ensure their sentences remain suspended.

(With inputs from agencies.)