New Delhi: Real Madrid have confirmed that a young individual, who subjected their star striker, Vinicius Junior, to racial abuse, has been banned from the stadium for a year and fined. The incident happened during a tense La Liga encounter against Rayo Vallecano last season. The Spanish giants reported that the perpetrator admitted his wrongdoing, wrote a letter of apology to Vinicius and accepted the sanctions imposed by the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office. The amount of the fine was determined by the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, although the exact amount remains undisclosed.
In line with their commitment to hold accountable all fans guilty of racially abusing their players, Real Madrid have taken decisive action against the offender. Unfortunately, Vinicius has faced relentless racial abuse throughout La Liga, most notably when two Valencia fans were sentenced to prison last June for their role in racist provocations.
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Club statement
The club announced that the individual responsible for the degrading remarks towards Vinicius Junior during the Rayo Vallecano vs. Real Madrid on February 18, 2024 at the Vallecas stadium sent a letter of apology to the striker. In his correspondence, he expressed remorse for his actions and agreed to participate in the socio-educational programs required by the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office as part of the out-of-court settlement. In addition, the young offender agreed to refrain from going to any stadium hosting official competitions for the coming year.
In addition to the ban, he will face financial consequences imposed by the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport. Since last June, four separate cases have been judicially dealt with in criminal or juvenile courts and have successfully punished individuals responsible for unacceptable racist acts directed against Real Madrid players, which occurred in various stadiums, forums and on the social networks.
Real Madrid, together with its players, actively participated in these legal processes as civil parties and is committed to pursuing other offenders. They remain steadfast in their quest for justice and are determined to eradicate racism both in football and in sport in general.
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