Banana thrown at Vini Jr lands fan with €5,000 fine and year-long stadium ban
Spanish authorities crack down on racist incident during Copa del Rey match at Albacete, part of wider anti-violence measures in Spanish football.
Spanish football authorities have slapped a hefty €5,000 fine and 12-month stadium ban on a supporter who threw a banana at Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior during a Copa del Rey clash.
Racist incident at Albacete
The incident took place during Madrid’s Copa del Rey round of 16 match against Albacete at the Carlos Belmonte Stadium on January 14th. According to the report from Spain’s National Sports Office of the National Police, CCTV footage clearly captured the moment when an object was thrown from the stands while the home team was celebrating their final goal.
The Spanish Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport has classified the banana-throwing as a serious offense under Law 19/2007, which specifically targets violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance in sport.
This isn’t the first time Vinicius has been targeted with racist abuse in Spanish stadiums, with the Brazilian winger becoming something of a lightning rod for the country’s ongoing battle against racism in football.
Wider crackdown on stadium misconduct
The Commission didn’t stop there, dishing out punishments across Spanish football in what looks like a proper tightening of the screws on matchday misconduct:
- CD Guadalajara copped a massive €50,000 fine for exceeding allowed attendance and blocking evacuation routes during their Copa del Rey match against Barcelona
- 51 fans from both Sevilla and Real Betis face sanctions following various incidents during November’s heated Seville derby
- Some supporters involved in pre-match brawls received €5,000 fines and year-long stadium bans
- A fan who verbally abused Athletic Club’s Yuri Berchiche during a match in Vigo was hit with a €1,500 fine and three-month stadium ban
Looking ahead
The Commission has also designated the upcoming Segunda División match between Racing Santander and Burgos CF on February 22nd as “high risk.”
All these measures form part of the Spanish Interior Ministry’s active policy to combat violent and racist behavior in stadiums, with authorities seemingly getting their Adam and Eve’s in gear to improve prevention and security at sporting events.