A Mallorca fan who racially abused Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and former Villarreal player Samuel Chukwueze has been sentenced to one year in prison and banned from stadiums for three years.
The supporter was "found guilty of two crimes against moral integrity, aggravated by racist motives," according to a statement from Real Madrid. The incidents occurred during Madrid’s 1-0 La Liga defeat to Mallorca in February 2023, when the fan targeted Vinicius, and again two weeks later, when he directed racist insults at Chukwueze, now at AC Milan.
The fan's prison sentence has been suspended after he apologized and showed remorse, including writing a letter to Vinicius, and completing an equality and anti-discrimination program. This is the third criminal conviction in recent months related to racist abuse of Real Madrid players, with Vinicius being a frequent target since his arrival in Spain in 2018.
In June, three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for hurling racist insults at Vinicius during a May 2023 match. These incidents have sparked international outrage and reignited debates over racism in Spanish football, where such cases have been common for decades.
Additionally, another Mallorca fan, a minor who racially abused Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, has been banned from attending games for a year. The minor also apologized and agreed to participate in socio-educational programs as part of his punishment.
Earlier in September, Vinicius called for Spain to be stripped of its 2030 World Cup hosting duties unless significant progress is made in combating racism in stadiums. Real Madrid is set to face Atletico Madrid this weekend, where Vinicius has previously been a victim of racial abuse.
