A Seville court delayed the trial of a Sevilla FC supporter who directed racial abuse and imitation primate sounds at Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during an October 2023 La Liga match at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
Legal Proceedings and Charges Against the Sevilla Supporter
The prosecutor’s provisional charges state that the defendant faces a requested sentence of one year and nine months in prison for a crime against moral integrity. Court documents outline that the incidents took place between the 83rd and 86th minutes of the fixture on October 21, 2023, during the tenth matchday of the Primera División season. Operating from his seat in the Gol Norte section, which sits close to the pitch, the accused directed targeted insults at the Brazilian international with “evident contempt for the color of his skin,” as detailed in the public accusation.
Investigators note that the behavior caused the player feelings of frustration, shame, and humiliation, resulting in a direct impairment of his personal dignity. The actions included mimicking primate gestures, shouting the word “mono” repeatedly, and making “uh, uh, uh, uh” onomatopoeic sounds intended to imitate chimpanzees. The prosecution emphasizes that the confrontation unfolded in front of spectators inside the stadium and before a broad television, radio, and digital media audience.
Disciplinary Action and Institutional Response
According to club statements and reports from outlets such as El Desmarque, the team successfully identified the supporter, expelled him from the stadium, and applied internal disciplinary regulations against him. Television cameras captured the individual’s gestures and shouts during the closing minutes of the game.
La Liga subsequently filed formal complaints regarding the incident to both the Competition Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and Spain’s Anti-Violence Commission. The league remains formally represented as a private prosecutor in the ongoing criminal proceedings.
Timeline and Next Steps
The case is being handled by the Third Section of the Provincial Court of Seville (Audiencia Provincial de Sevilla).
Related reading
