Five Argentine rugby players sentenced to life for murder

Eight amateur rugby players have been found guilty over the murder of an aspiring law student in Argentina, in a case that has outraged the public and shone a harsh light on racist attitudes in the country.

Five of the attackers were sentenced to life in prison – which in Argentina is a maximum of 35 years – for their part in the murder of Fernando Báez Sosa, 18, the only son of two Paraguayan immigrants.

Three others were given 15 years in jail by the court in the town of Dolores. Several of the assailants belonged to the same amateur rugby team; all eight are between the ages of 21 and 23.

The brutal killing in January 2020 has been among the most high-profile criminal cases in Argentina in recent years.

Báez Sosa and friends had been partying in a nightclub in the seaside city of Villa Gesell, when an altercation broke out between them and the rugby players.

Both groups were kicked out of the club, but minutes later, the rugby players swarmed Báez Sosa, kicking and beating him as he lay on the ground, the court heard. Some of them tried to keep bystanders from intervening.

Witnesses reported hearing some of them hurl racist slurs at Báez Sosa. One of the attackers was heard screaming “negro de mierda” – which means “black piece of shit” – while another vowed to “take him as a trophy”.

Afterwards, a member of the group bragged about the attack in text messages and another swore the rest to secrecy.