A Spanish court has sentenced three Valencia football club supporters to eight months in prison and a two-year ban from stadiums for racially insulting the Brazilian player Vinícius Júnior. During a match on 21 May 2023, the Black Real Madrid player was repeatedly called a ‘monkey’, making headlines worldwide.
The verdict is a victory for Vini Jr (who led Real Madrid to win the Champions League this year) in his fight against rampant racism, but it is the bare minimum and comes too late. Initially reluctant to punish Valencia, the Spanish Football Federation eventually succumbed to mounting public pressure. Repeated failures by authorities to go after racists in the stands have made Vini Jr a habitual target of sickening abuse, with rival fans even hanging an effigy of the star from a bridge last December.
