Brazilian motor racing great Nelson Piquet has been fined around £780,000 for making racist and homophobic comments about seven-time Formula One drivers' champion Lewis Hamilton.

A judge in Brasilia imposed the punishment "for collective moral damages" and it was announced the money would go towards promoting racial equality and fighting LGBTQIA+ discrimination.

It was alleged by campaign groups behind the action that Piquet made comments in a November 2021 interview on YouTube that "violated the diffuse fundamental right to honour of the black population and the LGBTQIA+ community", and that those remarks, directed at Hamilton, went beyond the limits of freedom of expression.

In a statement confirming the punishment for 70-year-old Piquet, who won Formula One titles in 1981, 1983 and 1987, it was said that he denied intending "to harm Hamilton or anyone else's honour".

However, the judge said the discriminatory content was verifiable and determined Piquet's use of the term 'neguinho', which translates as 'little black man', was used when the former driver was being critical of Hamilton.

It was ruled that: "The nuances of language cannot go unnoticed, as subtlety is one of the characteristics of contemporary Brazilian racism: the subjugating element is present, the neguinho is not just any person, he is not a young black man, it is not an affectionate nickname, it is [saying] that the black person is doing something wrong, that he is an inferior race.

"In this context, it is easy to see that the use of the term neguinho by the defendant, a white person, to refer to the black English driver is a conduct that is discriminatory and with harmful meaning".

The judge determined Piquet had also used homophobic language when referring to Hamilton, implying that "being gay would be a negative characteristic, because it means incompetence".

The ruling and fine of five million Brazilian Reals is a punishment that Piquet is entitled to appeal against.

At the time of Piquet's remarks coming to light last June, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone declared Hamilton should be "happy" he received an apology and ought to have "brushed aside" the Brazilian’s racist slur.

Hamilton responded by referencing Ecclestone and Piquet as "older voices", declaring they have "nothing positive" to contribute.

"We push for action. There needs to be some accountability," Hamilton said.

He added: "I have always tried to take the higher road and be respectful. It ties back to – why do we give them a platform? They are not with the times. They are not willing to change. Microaggression in today's world is not healthy."

LaLiga filed an eighth complaint regarding racist abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior following incidents in Sunday's clash with Barcelona.

The hosts secured a 2-1 Clasico win at Camp Nou following Franck Kessie's 92nd-minute strike, which opened a 12-point lead for Xavi's side over Madrid.

That victory has been marred by racist abuse towards Vinicius, however, with LaLiga confirming a complaint had been lodged to the Barcelona Court of Instruction.

A statement read: "In view of the events that took place at the FC Barcelona-Real Madrid match, in which intolerable racist behaviour was once again observed against Vinicius Jr, LaLiga has reported the racist insults to the Barcelona Court of Instruction.

"This is the eighth complaint filed by LaLiga with the corresponding authorities for racist abuse against Vinicius Jr."

Earlier this week, Mallorca announced a fan's membership had been revoked for three years after racist abuse was directed at Vinicius and Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze.

In February, Real Valladolid suspended 12 season ticket holders for abusing Vinicius during a league match two months earlier.

Lazio have condemned anti-Semitic behaviour by a number of their supporters during Sunday's Rome derby after Italy's sports minister expressed concerns.

As well as chanting from fans that sparked a complaint from the Jewish Community of Rome, one fan was seen to be wearing a shirt with the name 'Hitlerson' on its back, along with the number 88, which is used by neo-Nazis as numerical code for 'Heil Hitler'.

Efforts are under way to identify that Lazio fan, with the club recognising there is a problem. They indicated progress had already been made and said news of investigations would come within hours.

In January, Lazio were moved to condemned "despicable, shameful and anachronistic" racist abuse aimed at Lecce players Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda in a Serie A match.

Now they face more scrutiny over this episode.

Ruth Dureghello, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, wrote on Twitter: "A whole curve singing anti-Semitic chants, a 'fan' in the stands with the Hitlerson shirt and the number 88 and we, as always, are the only ones to get indignant and protest. Is it possible that everyone continues to ignore it?"

In response to that message, Italy's sports minister Andrea Abodi said: "Impossible to pretend nothing happened. I will do my part, as I feel I have to do. Respect is due and not negotiable!"

Lazio's Curva Nord was ordered to be closed for a game against Empoli after the abuse dished out to the Lecce players.

The club issued a statement on Tuesday in which they said Lazio were "at the forefront, especially under the current presidency, in publicly condemning, preventing and unreservedly repressing any discriminatory, racist or anti-Semitic demonstration or action".

It said the club "dissociates itself from any illegal and anachronistic behaviour of this type, as it is above all an injured party by such behaviour".

Lazio won the derby 1-0, with three players sent off, including one from each team at the end of the game.

Lazio said the anti-Semitic conduct amounted to "a dangerous germ" in which many who take part "do not even know the meaning and scope" of their actions.

The club said they had attempted to "avoid, isolate and contrast these phenomena", saying their commitment is to "inclusion, sportsmanship and respect for all".

Lazio's actions will be judged along with their words, and the club said they had observers at the Roma match, led by former deputy chief of police Nicolo D'Angelo, looking to identify those responsible.

The club said: "In the next few hours we will communicate the already positive results of our activity, trusting in the effective collaboration of the institutions responsible for safeguarding democratic rules."

A man who sent racist abuse to Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been banned from every stadium in the United Kingdom for three years.

Toney revealed in October he had received the abusive message on Instagram, posting screenshots and saying it made him feel "angry", as Brentford called for police to act.

It has led to 24-year-old Antonio Neill, from Blyth in Northumberland, being handed a four-month sentence suspended for two years, plus the football banning order.

Northumbria Police said the latter sanction, handed down on Monday, was the first such order of its kind issued under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Neill pleaded guilty in January to sending an offensive message after officers pursued him over what they considered a hate crime, and he has now been banned from attending any regulated football game in the UK, and from travelling abroad to watch games.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for football policing, said: "This result makes it clear that there are real consequences for those people who think they can hide behind a keyboard to post hateful comments."

He added: "I would urge others who are victims of online hate to come forward and report it to police so it can be investigated and action can be taken."

Toney sits third on this season's list of Premier League top scorers, with 15 goals in a prolific campaign for the Bees.

Brentford said they were "pleased" to see the case conclude, adding: "Court appearances set a strong precedent for anyone else who commits hate crimes and it is our hope that sentences increase in severity until this sort of crime is eradicated.

"Ivan Toney has been subject to sickening racist abuse on a regular basis, and we want to see tough action taken against anyone found guilty of such abuse."

The club appealed at the time of Toney being sent the message for social media bosses to take action, repeating that message on Tuesday by stating: "All authorities have their role to play in this and we, again, call upon the social media companies to make their platforms safe for all participants and to remove all hateful content."

Southampton have said they are "disgusted and disappointed" by racist abuse aimed at Kyle Walker-Peters following their goalless draw at Manchester United.

The right-back received a number of racist replies after posting on Instagram following Sunday's stalemate at Old Trafford.

Southampton issued a statement on Monday condemning the abuse, though Walker-Peters was not named directly, with the club confirming the messages had been forwarded to Hampshire Police.

The Premier League club also referenced a similar incident from two years ago in which now former player Alexandre Jankewitz was racially abused following a game against the same opposition.

"In February 2021 the club made a statement about one of our young players receiving abhorrent racial abuse following a match against Manchester United," the statement read.

"More than two years on, we find ourselves in the exact same position: disgusted and disappointed in the behaviour of those online who lower themselves to abusing players for the colour of their skin.

"What is equally frustrating is the lack of meaningful action in those two years from the social media platforms who allow such hatred to breed and fester.

"As we have said before, Southampton Football Club fights every day to remove such people from our sport and our community in order to protect our players, our staff, Southampton fans and those football supporters around the world who recognise and celebrate the diversity that makes football special.

"We have forwarded the messages concerned to Hampshire Police in keeping with our normal processes when dealing with these cases.

"We have also reported these posts to the social media platforms involved.

"We can only hope that they finally pay attention to what continues to be a major problem and that we do not find ourselves repeating these words in another two years time."

David Alaba has offered an explanation for his vote at the FIFA Best awards after he listed Lionel Messi ahead of his Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema.

Alaba was subjected to online abuse, including racist remarks, after his choice was made public with Madrid fans starting a hashtag of #AlabaOut after he voted for Messi first, Benzema second and Kylian Mbappe third.

The Austria captain took to Twitter to explain that the vote was not his alone, but that of his entire national team.

"Regarding FIFA The Best Award: The Austrian national team vote for this award as a team, not me alone," he wrote. "Everyone in the team council is able to vote and that's how it's decided.

"Everyone knows, especially Karim, how much I admire him and his performances and I have often said that for me he is the best striker in the world, and that is still the case. Without doubt."

Messi claimed the men's prize at an awards ceremony in Paris on Monday after leading Argentina to glory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has introduced pioneering measures to combat racism, with new rules allowing them to sanction teams with points deductions if their fans or employees commit discrimination.

Ground-breaking rules will take effect from the Copa do Brasil, which starts on February 22, after the league's statute was approved by all 20 Serie A clubs.

The plans were revealed after the CBF's General Regulation of Competitions meeting on Tuesday, as Brazilian football aims to combat increasing levels of racism throughout the sport.

CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues wants to put an end to such incidents after Brazilian football's governing body became the first to adopt the ruling.

The issue has had increased prominence after Selecao and Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior was subjected to numerous racially motivated incidents while playing in Spain.

And the CBF's measures follow Brazilian President Lula da Silva introducing a new law in January that made racial insults a crime and imposed greater penalties for offences committed at sporting and cultural events.

"The fight against racism is in a hurry – measures have been discussed for centuries and have never been put into practice," Rodrigues said in a statement from the CBF.

"We decided to go further with punishments and we can even take away points from a club in one of our competitions.

"It is considered extremely serious if the discriminatory offence is practised by managers, representatives and professionals of clubs, athletes, coaches, members of the technical committee, fans and arbitration teams in any competition coordinated by the CBF."

Rodrigues is the first black president to lead the CBF in over 100 years of the organisation's history and vowed to battle to eradicate racism within football.

He added: "Racial discrimination is a crime and our job is to shed light on the issue. 

"We really hope that we can also have the support of all the clubs, of all the fans, of all segments of society, of all the press, so that this does not just remain in a decorative way.

"In addition to sporting sanctions, for any and all acts of racism or any discrimination, the match summary will also be forwarded to the Public Ministry and the Civil Police so that the process does not die only in the sports sphere, and that offenders are also punished by law."

Carlo Ancelotti resolved to help Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior through the strife affecting him on and off the pitch.

Vinicius has been become a regular target for racist abuse from fans this season, with footage on social media appearing to show discriminatory remarks being directed at him during Madrid's 1-0 defeat to Real Mallorca last Sunday.

Athletic Bilbao midfielder Dani Garcia said in an interview released by Spanish news outlet Durangaldeko Telebista on Friday that he believed Mallorca players had "gone too far" in winding up Vinicius during that game.

Garcia said Vinicius "sometimes makes gestures that he should not do, but then I think that he is also provoked too much", and that by becoming rattled by opponents "he gets hot and honestly it doesn't do him any good".

None of that excuses or serves to explain the racism Vinicius has encountered from the stands, but working through the on-pitch battles he encounters is an area Madrid may be able to influence as they look to get the best out of the Brazil international.

Garcia said he had chided Vinicius more than he would other players in the past, and Madrid head coach Ancelotti is eager to find ways to make life easier for the 22-year-old.

"If you think there is a problem, you have to find a solution," Ancelotti said, speaking ahead of Saturday's Club World Cup final against Al Hilal in Rabat.

"We are not stupid. We are going to find a solution."

Team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni also wants to support Vinicius and hopes LaLiga will take firm action to allow the former Flamengo player to flourish, no longer fearful of facing vile abuse from the stands.

"Vini is fine. We know that there are difficult moments in football, against opponents, the public," Tchouameni said. "We are with him. The important thing is that he focuses on football and shows his level."

Tchouameni, who is also black, said this episode of racism was not an isolated problem.

"Against racism, there should be zero tolerance and it is something that must be eradicated as much as possible," France international Tchouameni said.

"It doesn't matter if they are white, black or red. LaLiga can also take measures, and we hope that the situation will change."

Real Madrid have called on authorities to hold those responsible for the abuse of Vinicius Junior to account.

Madrid host rivals Atletico Madrid in a Copa del Rey encounter on Thursday.

In the build-up to the match, pictures were shared on social media showing a mannequin, wearing a Vinicius shirt, hung by the neck from a bridge in the Spanish capital.

This was condemned by Atleti, who released a statement saying: "Such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved."

Madrid have now joined their neighbours in condemning what they label as a "repugnant act of racism, xenophobia and hatred".

A statement read: "Real Madrid would like to thank you for the support and expressions of affection received after the regrettable and repugnant act of racism, xenophobia and hatred against our player Vinicius.

"We would like to express our strongest condemnation of these acts which are an attack on fundamental rights and the dignity of people, and which have nothing to do with the values that football and sport represent.

"Attacks such as those suffered by our player, or those suffered by any sportsperson, have no place in a society such as ours

"Real Madrid trust that those who have participated in such a despicable act will be held accountable."

The Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) also joined in the condemnation.

"The CBF vehemently repudiates the racist acts suffered once again by Vinicius," a statement read.

"Intolerance and discrimination are not part of sport and must be eliminated from society. We hope that those responsible are identified and punished under the law."

LaLiga called for a full investigation to be launched and criminal sanctions issued against guilty parties.

Atletico Madrid condemned the "repugnant" actions that have seen Vinicius Jr the target of abuse ahead of Thursday's derby against Real Madrid.

The two great rivals clash in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey at Santiago Bernabeu, but build-up for the tie has been marred by a section of Atleti supporters.

Pictures spread on social media showed a mannequin, wearing a Vinicius shirt, hung by the neck from a bridge in the Spanish capital.

A banner in the colours of Atletico was displayed on the same bridge which read: "Madrid hates Real".

In a statement, Atletico said: "Such acts are absolutely repugnant and inadmissible and shame society. Our condemnation of any act that attacks the dignity of persons or institutions is categorical and unreserved.

"The rivalry between the two clubs is the greatest, but so is respect. No individual, whatever their intentions or colours, can tarnish the coexistence between different supporters. It is everyone's responsibility to avoid this.

"We do not know the perpetrator or perpetrators of this despicable act, but their anonymity does not avoid their responsibility. We hope that the authorities succeed in clarifying what happened and that justice helps to banish this type of behaviour."

LaLiga also issued a statement on the matter, calling for a full investigation to be launched and criminal sanctions issued against guilty parties.

"We strongly condemn the acts of hatred directed towards Vinicius Junior. Intolerance and violence has no place in football," the statement read.

"As it has done before, La Liga will press for a full investigation in search of the facts and the conviction of those responsible, requesting the most severe criminal sanctions."

It is not the first time Vinicius has been targeted by sections of the Atletico fanbase, with footage outside the Civitas Metropolitano ahead of the LaLiga clash between the two clubs earlier this season showing fans chanting abuse.

Lazio have condemned the "despicable, shameful and anachronistic" racist abuse aimed at Lecce players Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda in Wednesday's Serie A match.

Lecce's 2-1 comeback victory at Stadio Via del Mare was overshadowed by a section of Lazio fans in the away end aiming abuse towards Umtiti and Banda.

The game was halted for several minutes and a message was played over the announcer system warning the contest would not resume if the chants continued.

Umtiti's name was chanted by home fans in solidarity and the centre-back personally asked for the match to resume, though he reportedly left the field in tears at full-time.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino called out the latest example of racist abuse in Italian football, coming on the day the Serie A season resumed from its near-two-month break.

In a statement released on Thursday, Lazio vowed to do everything they can to find those responsible, but they denied the club's supporters as a whole are racist.

"During the Lecce-Lazio match, the referee was forced to stop the match due to racist howls towards a player from the home team," the statement read.

"Lazio has always opposed all forms of racism and discrimination with all the means available.

"Initiatives are in place aimed at repressing these phenomena, making its fans aware of this issue and acting in the appropriate offices to protect its image.

"Even today, Lazio condemns those who have become the protagonists of this despicable, shameful and anachronistic gesture.

"We will, as always, offer the maximum collaboration to the authorities to identify those responsible. 

"Lazio fans are not racist and cannot be associated with a few individuals who seriously harm the club's image."

Ciro Immobile had given fifth-place Lazio the lead prior to Gabriel Strefezza and Lorenzo Colombo striking in the second half for Lecce, who moved up to 12th in Serie A.

LaLiga has filed charges to a local court relating to the racial abuse aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during last week's 2-0 win over Real Valladolid.

Vinicius was targeted by home fans after being substituted late on at Estadio Jose Zorrilla, where Karim Benzema's double secured all three points for Madrid.

The Brazil international criticised LaLiga for its lack of action to eradicate racism, though league chief Javier Tebas said those comments were "unfortunate" and "unfair".

LaLiga on Tuesday moved to punish those responsible for abusing Vinicius by taking the matter further.

"LaLiga has filed the corresponding charges regarding the racist insults directed against footballer Vinicius Jr, before the relevant judicial, administrative and sporting bodies," a statement read.

"A criminal charge for hate crimes has been filed with the Valladolid Magistrates' Courts, supported by audio-visual evidence gathered in the investigation carried out through images and audio clips published on open sources.

"LaLiga has also asked the Valladolid Magistrates' Courts to transfer the complaint to the Public Prosecutor's Office for Hate Crimes so that it can participate in the case.

"In addition, and as has been the case for several seasons, a report of the racist insults has been submitted to the RFEF Competition Committee and the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, to be studied and assessed for a sanction."

In a social media post following Friday's win over Valladolid, Vinicius said: "Racists continue to go to stadiums and watch the biggest club in the world up close and @LaLiga continues to do nothing..."

Tebas was quick to refute that claim at the time, and LaLiga has now vowed to "increase its ongoing efforts to eradicate any kind of violence, racism or xenophobia inside and outside stadiums".

Tuesday's statement added: "As a result, the number of LaLiga integrity officers present at matches where there is a risk of racist insults will be increased, in order to maximise detection and identification of this type of behaviour, which has no place in sport.

"Furthermore, in stadiums where there is considered to be a risk of possible racist behaviour in the stands, messages will be broadcast over the public address system and advertising hoardings surrounding the pitch to combat and condemn racism.

"LaLiga's objective is zero violence in sport and in order to achieve this, a variety of training, prevention, detection and reporting practices are carried out on each matchday, which are then reported to the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, as well as to the Public Prosecutor's Office for Hate Crimes. 

"Similarly, LaLiga denounces and takes legal action as a plaintiff in any criminal proceedings related to violent acts occurring in the sphere of football. LaLiga continues to work with clubs, players, authorities and all parties involved in the sport to ensure that there is no place for violent or racist behaviour in football."

Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday a "zero tolerance" policy needs to be taken against racism after the fourth high-profile incident involving Vinicius.

"It's society's problem, it shouldn't exist, for me it has to be zero tolerance," Ancelotti added. "I don't think it's LaLiga's problem. It's a general, cultural problem in society. Society doesn't have the education it should have.

"With such an important issue I wouldn't focus on Vinicius or LaLiga or the punishments. It's much bigger."

Vinicius is not part of Madrid's squad for Tuesday's Copa del Rey round-of-32 tie at lower-tier Cacereno, with Ancelotti opting to rest a number of first-team regulars.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas labelled Vinicius Junior's criticism of the league's anti-racism work "unfair" after the Real Madrid winger vented his frustration on social media.

Madrid beat Real Valladolid 2-0 at the Jose Zorrilla on Friday, but the match was marred for Vinicius.

The Brazil international wrote on Instagram the following day that "racists continue to go to the stadiums and see the best club in the world up close, and LaLiga continues to do nothing".

Vinicius was substituted during the match and almost hit by several objects thrown from the stands as he walked behind one of the goals, with fans appearing to direct racist chants at him.

Tebas rejected Vinicius' claim that LaLiga is doing nothing to drive racists out of the sport, however.

"At LaLiga we have been fighting racism for years," Tebas tweeted. "Vinicius Junior, it is unfair and not true to publish that 'LaLiga does nothing against racism'.

"Find out more. We are at your disposal so that all together we can go in the same direction."

Also included in the tweet from Tebas was the link to a LaLiga statement that insisted the incidents in Valladolid will be reported to the hate crimes prosecutors' office; additionally, it documented previous instances of complaints being filed with legal authorities, in an attempt to disprove Vinicius' criticism.

"Before the publication of Vinicius Jr, a Real Madrid player, on his social networks making a comment in which he alludes to the lack of action measures by LaLiga in the fight against racism, LaLiga has detected racist insults from someone from the stands of the Zorrilla stadium, [which were] published on social networks," the statement began.

"These events will be reported to the anti-violence commission and the hate crimes prosecutor's office, as has been done on other occasions in which LaLiga, after investigating racist behaviour inside and outside the stadiums, has led the fight against this type of act."

Vinicius Junior has criticised LaLiga bosses for failing to effectively tackle racism after the Real Madrid forward was targeted at Real Valladolid.

The Brazilian had items thrown at him from the stands after he was substituted late on, and shocking footage of verbal abuse emerged after Friday's game.

Madrid sealed a 2-0 win in their first league game since the World Cup, with Karim Benzema getting both goals.

Vinicius posted a picture of himself with Benzema soon after the away victory, with the caption: "God bless us!"

Having considered the unsavoury events of the evening, Vinicius added on social media on Saturday: "Racists continue to go to stadiums and watch the biggest club in the world up close and @LaLiga continues to do nothing...

"I will continue with my head held high and celebrating my victories and those of Madrid. In the end it's MY fault."

Madrid are next in action against fourth-tier Cacereno in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.

Benetton Treviso apologised for "absurd stupidity" after a banana was given to Cherif Traore in the team's Secret Santa.

Traore, who is an Italy international having made his debut in 2018, was given a rotten banana during the United Rugby Championship side's Christmas dinner.

The prop was born in Guinea but moved to Italy aged seven, and has lived in the country ever since.

Traore spoke out against the act on social media, saying he had not "slept all night" and had "decided not to keep quiet this time to ensure that episodes like this do not happen again".

Benetton responded with a statement, which said that Traore had "accepted his comrades' apologies".

President Amerino Zatta declared: "What happened against Cherif does not in any way reflect our identity and the values that the Benetton family has been carrying forward for years.

"I'm glad Cherif accepted the apology, understanding the absurd stupidity committed by one of his teammates.

"I am sure that this will strengthen the sense of cohesion within the group and that such a gesture will never again find fertile ground within our family.

"On behalf of the entire team, I reiterate that we condemn any expression of racism and that no form of discrimination is accepted in our dressing room."

Traore was involved in the team's statement, adding: "This afternoon's meeting was an opportunity to discuss and understand how what one of my companions did on the occasion of exchanging Christmas presents is purely the result of idiocy and nothing other.

"I appreciated and accepted his apologies and those of the entire team. I'm happy with the gesture and I'm sure what happened will make the group even more solid.

"We are a family and as such we will continue to commit ourselves on and off the pitch, fighting, as we always have, against all forms of discrimination."