A Spanish court has handed down an eight-month suspended jail term to an individual for online racist abuse against Real Madrid players Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rudiger.
According to Real Madrid, the individual “acting under various pseudonyms on the digital forum of the Marca newspaper, directed serious racist attacks and insults against our players Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rudiger.” The court has also prohibited the individual from participating in the Marca forum for 20 months.
The accused was found guilty of two offences against Brazilian Vinicius and German defender Rudiger, both aggravated by racist motives and, in Rudiger’s case, contempt of his religion. The suspended prison sentence requires the defendant’s participation in a non-discrimination program.
This marks the second criminal conviction for racist insults against Real Madrid players. On June 10, three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months for racist insults targeting Vinicius in May 2023.
Vinicius has been a prominent figure in the fight against racism in Spanish football, facing multiple incidents in recent years. In January 2023, an effigy wearing a Vinicius shirt was found hanging from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground, accompanied by a banner saying, “Madrid hates Real.” Four Atletico Madrid fans have been charged over the incident, with prosecutors seeking four-year jail terms, though no trial date has been set.
The Valencia incident sparked a significant debate about whether Spain is doing enough to combat racism in football.
