Despite personal disagreements, Deion Sanders and his ex-wife Pilar seem united over matters of race. This was highlighted by Pilar’s response to a racist incident involving soccer player Vinicius Jr.

The incident involved something awful that took place during a soccer match last year between Valencia and Real Madrid. Three people in the crowd yelled slurs at Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. Stadium officials announced a warning over the loudspeaker, but Vinicius Jr. took a stronger stand against this kind of abuse. He decided to sue the men in a Spanish court. 

The court case is now over, and at first, it looked like the three men would be sentenced to a year in jail and banned from attending any soccer games in Spain for three years. However, since they admitted their guilt, the court lessened the punishment to eight months in jail and a ban from attending any soccer games in Spain for two years. Plus, they have to pay the court cost.

Pilar Sanders shared her support for the verdict on her Instagram story by sharing the news and applauding the decision. 

The post also featured Vinicius Jr.’s powerful statement: “I’m not a victim of racism. I’m a tormentor of racists.” He further stressed the importance of his actions by adding, “It’s for all black people.”

Deion Sanders, being a successful Black head coach, has consistently challenged negativity. While he hasn’t commented directly on Vinicius Jr.’s case, his overall stance against racism has been clear over the years. 

Deion Sanders and Vinicius Jr. spark change

Last year, the arrival of Coach Prime at the University of Colorado football program created a huge buzz. He soon landed a TIME magazine cover, using the platform to address the lack of Black head coaches in college football. Sanders pointed out the imbalance: “70% of us can be in the locker room [as players] but we can’t lead ourselves?” With only 11.9% of FBS head coaches being Black, his statement highlighted the ongoing issue of racial disparity.

By being himself and speaking his mind, Sanders became a hero for Black people in Boulder. His influence is now clear in the university’s over 50% increase in Black student applications this year. Now, soccer star Vinicius Jr. adds to this wave of hope by securing justice against racist abuse. These bold actions by Sanders and Vinicius Jr. will likely pave the way for a fairer future, pushing the Black community forward.