Three Valencia fans who racially abused Vinicius Junior at Mestalla have been sentenced to eight months in prison and banned from football stadiums for two years. Vinicius responded to the ruling, expressing hope that it will deter other racists: “Let other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows.”
The incident occurred on May 21st during a match between Valencia and Real Madrid. The Brazilian forward reported being subjected to racist insults from fans in the Mestalla. The match was paused briefly, and Vinicius identified one of the perpetrators. LaLiga and Valencia’s internal cameras later identified two more individuals.
Vinicius shared his thoughts on social media, stating, “Many asked me to ignore it, many others said that my fight was in vain and that I should just ‘play football.’ But, as I have always said, I am not a victim of racism. I am an executioner of racists. This first criminal conviction in the history of Spain is not for me. It’s for all black people.”
He further emphasized the significance of the conviction, thanking La Liga and Real Madrid for their support and warning racists of the consequences of their actions and signing off his message with, “more to come…”.
