• Four people received suspended sentences for a hate crime involving an effigy of Vinicius Jr.
• The incident occurred before a Copa del Rey match against Atletico Madrid in January 2023.
• Defendants must complete an educational program on equality as part of their sentence.
• This case is part of an ongoing issue of racial abuse directed at Vinicius in Spain.
• Real Madrid continues efforts to combat racism in football.

Four individuals have been handed suspended jail sentences by a Madrid Court after being convicted of committing hate crimes against Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. The defendants were found guilty of hanging an inflatable effigy representing the player, alongside a banner saying "Madrid hates Real," before a Copa del Rey match against Atletico Madrid in January 2023, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

In a recent ruling, one defendant received a 15-month prison sentence for the hate crime, along with an additional seven months for distributing images of the act online. The other three defendants were each sentenced to seven months for hate crimes and seven months for threats, but all four sentences were suspended upon signing a letter of apology to Vinicius, La Liga, Real Madrid, and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), as reported by Al Jazeera and BBC.

The sentences include various penalties such as a restraining order preventing the accused from approaching Vinicius, his home, or Real Madrid’s training ground, as well as a ban on attending matches during La Liga or RFEF events. One defendant also faces a four-year disqualification from roles in education, sport, or youth settings. Furthermore, all must engage in an educational program regarding equality and non-discrimination, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and BBC.

These recent convictions represent part of a larger pattern of racial abuse directed at Vinicius since he joined Real Madrid in 2018. This marks the fourth court case linked to such incidents over the past year, reinforcing the football community's call for stricter measures against racism in sport, highlighted by Al Jazeera and Reuters.