.A Madrid court has handed suspended prison sentences to four individuals found guilty of committing a hate crime against Real Madrid footballer Vinícius Jr., Spain’s LaLiga confirmed in a statement on Monday.The case stems from a January 2023 incident in which the defendants hung an effigy resembling the Brazilian forward wearing his No. 20 jersey from a bridge, alongside a banner reading “Madrid hates Real,” ahead of a Copa del Rey clash with Atlético Madrid.One of the four was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a hate crime and an additional seven months for issuing threats after sharing images of the act online. The remaining three received seven-month sentences for both hate crimes and threats.Despite the convictions, none of the offenders will serve time in prison. All four submitted written apologies to Vinícius Jr., Real Madrid, LaLiga, and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which contributed to the suspension of their sentences.According to LaLiga, the individual who posted the video has also been barred from working in educational, sports, or youth-related recreational environments for four years and three months. The other three received bans lasting three years and seven months.Further penalties include fines—€1,084 ($1,250) for the main offender and €720 (approximately $834) for each of the others—along with restraining orders preventing them from approaching Vinícius, his home, workplace, or any stadium during LaLiga or RFEF matches within a 1,000-meter radius.Additionally, all four must complete an educational program focused on equality and non-discrimination for their sentences to remain suspended.There has been no immediate response from either the court or Vinícius Jr. regarding the verdict.
