Valencia fans who racially abused Vinicius Jr. have been jailed for eight months

It is heartbreaking a player like Vinicius Jr. has to go through racist abuse and comments, primarily from rival fans. He has been the face of anti-racism in football and particularly in Spain. The Brazilian winger has been extremely vocal in his fight against racism and calling for punishments for perpetrators. Vinicius’ incessant efforts have finally led to a significant breakthrough in his fight against racism.

A La Liga match between Real Madrid and Valencia CF back in May of 2023 caught attention worldwide for all the wrong reasons. A visibly distressed Vinicius Jr. was pointing out to opposition players, teammates and match officials alike the fans who hurled racist abuse at him. Even though no immediate action was taken, the perpetrators now face repercussions for their actions.

La Liga announced in a first of its kind ruling that three Valencia fans have been jailed for eight months while simultaneously being barred from attending a football match for two years.

This is also the first criminal conviction for racist abuse against a footballer in Spain. The footballing community has reacted positively to the same, calling for harsher punishments for those who racially abuse players and fans alike.

Vinicius Jr. pens bold message following criminal conviction of those who racially abused player

Vinicius Jr. is as confident and bold as a player gets, both on and off the pitch. The Real Madrid No.7 has created a legacy for himself and others like him through his relentless fight against racism. Following the criminal conviction for his racial abusers, the forward took to social media to post a bold message to those who are against him.

Many asked me to ignore it, but I'm not a victim of racism. I am a tormentor of racists. This conviction is not for me, it is for all black people. May other racists be afraid, ashamed and hide in the shadows.

Vinicius Jr. said in a recent post on X

The forward also thanked La Liga for their support in making the conviction possible.

However, Vinicius had called out La Liga and its President Javier Tebas in the past for not ‘protecting’ its players and backing them in the fight against racism. The player also broke down in tears during a press conference, at which he emotionally admitted that he ‘only wants to play football‘.

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