Until then, judicial decisions involving cases of racism and discrimination generated sentences for ‘crimes against moral integrity’, with ‘aggravating racism’
A case of racism, which has as a victim, made history in the Spanish judiciary on Wednesday. Valladolid’s provincial hearing approved a decision made last week, which condemns five Valladolid fans to a year in prison for racist insults to the Brazilian, and framed the case as a “hatred crime.” Until then, judicial decisions involving cases of racism and discrimination generated sentences for “crimes against moral integrity,” with “aggravating racism.” On Wednesday, Valladolid’s second instance court opened the precedent in the European country by stating that discriminatory cases of such a “hatred crime” pursuant to article 510.2 a of the Spanish Penal Code.
The mention of the type of crime was celebrated by the entity that organizes the Spanish Championship and began the case in court. “This judicial decision represents an unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in sport in Spain, which until then had sentences for conduct against moral integrity with aggravation of racism. The fact that the sentence expressly mention the crime of hatred associated with racist insults reinforces the message that intolerance has no place in football,” the League said in a statement.
The decision of this Wednesday approved the sentence issued last week, which sentenced the fans to one year in prison, a fine between 1,080 and 1,620 euros and ban on the “exercise of educational professions or activities in teaching, sports and leisure for four years”. The decision, however, is a suspended sentence. In practice, the convicts will not automatically arrest. To this end, they had to accept two conditions: not committing new crimes for a period of three years and not attending football stadiums for national range games during this same period.
The racist attacks took place in December 2022, during a match between and, at the José Zorrilla Stadium, for the Spanish Championship. Vinícius Júnior was replaced in the final stretch of the game. Already outside the four lines, the Brazilian celebrated a goal from the real near the wall that separated the fans from Valladolid from the field. At that moment, the player was the target of racist offenses. “The racists continue to go to the stadiums and watch the biggest club in the world closely, and Laliga continues to do nothing. I’ll go with her head up and celebrating my victories and Madrid. In the end, it’s my fault,” wrote Vini Jr. on social networks at the time.
Verbal aggressions were widely disclosed on social networks at the time. And the responsible fans were identified by the Spanish court. Real striker did not accept compensation for the damage suffered. And the accused fans filed a written statement recognizing the racist offenses, apologizing for the acts, which did not prevent the establishment of the process.
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Fernando Dias
