A Barcelona court on Wednesday sentenced an Espanyol fan to one year in prison for racially abusing Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams.
In January 2020, the supporter was accused of making racial gestures and chanting towards the Ghana international at the RCDE Stadium.
According to Spanish legislation, the fan will not have to do prison time because the penalty is less than two years long and they have no prior convictions.
They were fined roughly 1,000 euros ($1,200) and barred from attending football stadiums for the next three years, according to a statement from Catalonia’s High Court of Justice.
The Spanish Prosecutor’s Office was initially seeking a two-year term but reached an agreement with the accused.
“Today’s ruling represents another milestone in the fight against racism in football and the eradication of all forms of violence inside and outside stadiums,” said La Liga in a statement.
In recent years, there have been numerous racist incidents in Spanish football.
Another match between Espanyol and Athletic was called off in February of this year after home fans allegedly racially insulted visiting player Maroan Sannadi.
Then, in June, four Atlético Madrid fans were sentenced to suspended jail time for hanging a dummy of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior from a bridge in what police called a “hate crime.”
Vinicius from Brazil has been targeted multiple times since moving to Madrid in 2018, with the culprits being convicted in various courts.
In June 2024, three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for insulting the Madrid star.
Vinicius, Inaki Williams, and his younger brother Nico Williams have all been key figures in the fight against racism in Spanish football.
