Tebas on Vinícius Case: Without Criminal Sentencing, Racism in the Stands Will Never Go Away

Recently, a Spanish fan was sentenced for engaging in racist behavior towards Vinícius. In response to this, LaLiga President Tebas issued a statement emphasizing, “Racist acts in stadiums will not disappear unless there is criminal sentencing involved.”

Tebas further explained on social media, “This is one of the results of our efforts in recent years to eliminate hate in football. We will continue to push forward with this work resolutely. It is important to note that it is difficult to effectively control racist acts in the stadium without the support of criminal sentencing.”

He particularly highlighted the severity of this sentence: the perpetrator was sentenced to six months in prison and banned from entering all stadiums managed by LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation for the next year and a half. Tebas also pointed out that these charges and punishments were actively initiated and vigorously pursued by the LaLiga management body he leads.

LaLiga also emphasized that this is the second significant ruling regarding racist incidents in football, demonstrating a zero-tolerance attitude towards such acts and further clarifying judicial standards, establishing the criminal consequences of such behavior.

This ruling pertains to racist incidents that occurred during two LaLiga matches: Mallorca vs. Real Madrid on February 5, 2023, and Mallorca vs. Villarreal on February 18 of the same year. The defendant was convicted of moral turpitude and racially motivated discriminatory behavior. Considering his expression of remorse, the court appropriately mitigated the sentence. Ultimately, the defendant was sentenced to six months in prison and an 18-month ban from entering stadiums.

Additionally, LaLiga revealed that another case involving racist behavior against Real Madrid player Tchouaméni has been resolved through an out-of-court settlement. The minor involved apologized to the victim and provided compensation for the negative impact of his abusive language and bottle-throwing during the match on April 13.