Madrid (Spain), May 21 (LaPresse/AP) – Five Valladolid fans who racially abused Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior in 2022 have been found guilty of committing a hate crime, marking the first ruling in Spain to classify racist insults in a football stadium under this offense. The Valladolid court sentenced the fans to one year in prison and fines of up to €1,620. The prison sentence is suspended on the condition that they commit no further crimes and stay away from football stadiums hosting official national competitions for three years. La Liga called the verdict "a firm step toward eradicating racism in sport." "This judicial decision represents an unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in Spanish sport," the league stated.
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