In February 2023, the La Liga match between Mallorca and Real Madrid, at the San Moix Stadium, was marred by racist acts. At the time, it was Vinicius Junior who was targeted by the insults of a man, a repeat offender two weeks later by making similar remarks against Samuel Chukwueze, then a Villarreal player. Obviously, Real Madrid did not stop there, and filed a complaint. The verdict was a long time coming, but this Thursday, the Merengue club announced that the man in question had been convicted by the courts. “Real Madrid CF announces that the Court of Instruction No. 3 of Palma de Mallorca today handed down a sentence against the individual who launched racist insults against Vinicius Júnior in the match between Mallorca and Real Madrid, on 5 February 2023, at the San Moix stadium”indicates Real Madrid in a press release.
“The accused was found guilty of two crimes against moral integrity, aggravated by having acted with racist motivations, committed against Vinicius Júnior, as well as against the player Samu Chukwueze, then a Villarreal player, who suffered similar insults two weeks later. The court sentenced the accused to twelve months in prison, also sentencing him to a 3-year ban from stadiums, where La Liga and Spanish Federation matches take place. The suspension of the prison sentence was conditional on the accused, who apologized and expressed his regrets in a letter addressed to Vinicius Júnior, participant in an equal treatment and non-discrimination program.» This is the third criminal conviction handed down in recent months for racist insults received by Real Madrid players.