Three Valencia fans who racially abused Vinicius Junior at the Mestalla have been sentenced to eight months in prison and banned from football stadiums for two years. Vinicius responded to the ruling, expressing his hope that it would deter other racists: “Let other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows.”
The incident occurred on May 21 during a match between Valencia and Real Madrid. The Brazilian striker reported that he was subjected to racist insults from fans in the Mestalla. The match was stopped for a short period, and Vinicius was able to identify one of the perpetrators. Internal cameras at La Liga and Valencia later identified two more people.
Vinicius shared his thoughts on social media, saying: “Many asked me to ignore it, and many others said that my fight was in vain and that I should just ignore it.” ‘I play football.But, as I have always said, I am not a victim of racism. I am the executioner of racists. This first criminal conviction in Spanish history does not sit well with me. “It’s for all black people.”
He also stressed the importance of the conviction, thanked La Liga and Real Madrid for their support and warned racists of the consequences of their actions, signing off his message with “More to come…”.
“Student. Incurable problem solver. Amateur baconaholic. Introvert. Infuriatingly humble music fanatic.”