Fans who insulted Vinícius found guilty in 1st hate-crime conviction related to racism in Spain

MADRID AP Five Valladolid fans who racially insulted Real Madrid star Vin cius J nior in have been discovered guilty in the first ruling in Spain that condemns racist insults in a soccer stadium as a hate crime the league stated Wednesday A Valladolid court convicted the fans for their insults in a league match sentencing them to one year in prison plus a fine of up to euros The jail time is suspended on condition they don t commit any offense or visit soccer stadiums hosting official national competitions for three years The league called Wednesday s ruling a firm step towards eradicating racism in sport This judicial decision represents an unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in sport in Spain the league declared Last year three Valencia fans were handed eight-month prison sentences after pleading guilty to racially insulting Madrid forward Vin cius J nior That was the first conviction for racism-related cases in professional soccer in Spain but it was not based on a hate crime The Valencia fans were convicted of a crime against moral integrity with the aggravating circumstance of discrimination based on racist motives The fact that this ruling explicitly refers to hate crimes associated with racist insults reinforces the message that intolerance has no place in football the league noted The league first filed the complaint against the Valladolid fans It was later joined in the incident by the participant Real Madrid and the inhabitants prosecutor s office AP soccer https apnews com hub soccer Source