A Spanish court has sentenced four members of the Atlético Madrid ultras to suspended prison terms for hanging a doll representing Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior on a bridge, which authorities classified as a hate crime.

The incident occurred in January 2023, just before a derby match between the two teams, involving a dark-skinned doll dressed in the Brazilian star’s jersey.

Subsequent police investigations led to the arrests of the four individuals in May 2023. They are all associated with 'Frente Atlético', an ultra group of Atlético Madrid fans, and were charged with threats against the player and violations of his fundamental rights.

Under a plea agreement that still requires court confirmation, the individuals admitted guilt.

Three received sentences of 14 months in prison, while one was given a 22-month sentence for disseminating images of the act online.

In Spain, prison sentences of less than two years may be suspended if the convicted individuals have no prior offenses, meaning the four are unlikely to serve jail time.

The public prosecutor had sought a four-year sentence for each individual.

The sentenced fans also signed an apology letter directed to Vinícius, Real Madrid, La Liga, and the Spanish Football Federation.

Additionally, they will be required to complete a training program focused on equality and anti-discrimination.

La Liga stated that the court's ruling is a significant step forward in combating hate and discrimination in sports and noted that it filed the original complaint following the incident.

Real Madrid welcomed the verdict, highlighting that these four convictions bring the total number of individuals found guilty of racially motivated attacks against its players to 14. The club has pledged to continue its efforts to eradicate any form of racist behavior within football.

Vinícius Júnior has been the target of numerous racist incidents since joining Real Madrid in 2018, prompting widespread outrage and leading to several judicial condemnations.