UEFA hits Spartak Moscow and Roma with sanctions for racism

Say no to racism

October 23 – UEFA has ordered the partial closure of Spartak Moscow’s stadium for their next European home match as punishment for the latest outbreak of racist behaviour by supporters, this time towards Liverpool striker Bobby Adekanye during a Youth League match last month.

A section of the Russian club’s fans directed monkey chants at the 18-year-old attacker in the 2-1 defeat suffered by the Liverpool team at Spartak’s academy on September 26.

Adekanye was subjected to racist chanting when he came on in the 60th minute and later when he retrieved a ball that had gone out of play.

UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) upheld Liverpool’s subsequent complaint and a 500-seated section of Spartak’s stadium will now be closed for their next home game in Europe.

Spartak have also been directed to “display a banner with the wording ‘#EqualGame,’ with the UEFA logo on it” in the section closed to supporters.

The Russian champions have also been fined €33,000 for holding up a ‘UEFA Mafia’ banner, setting off fireworks and blocking stairways during their Champions League clash at home to Liverpool during the same week as the youth game.

Last month, Spartak were fined €60,000 for a firework incident during their Champions league game against Maribor. They were also banned from selling tickets to their own fans for their next European away match – in Seville on November 1.

Meanwhile Roma have been charged by UEFA after some of their supporters allegedly directed monkey chants at their former defender Antonio Rüdiger during last week’s Champions league fixture at Chelsea.

Before Rüdiger’s departure from Roma, he told the German sports magazine SportBild: “Racism is a serious issue here. When the Italian FA is not doing anything then FIFA must act. It is easy to come up with the ‘No to Racism’ campaign but when you don’t do anything concrete then that does not help.”

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