June 24 – Russia’s football authorities have meted out a token fine to CSKA Moscow after its fans racially abused Zenit St. Petersburg winger Malcom in the clubs’ first game back since the domestic league restarted.
CSKA, whose supporters have a history of racist abuse, were fined 100,000 rubles ($1,460), hardly the strongest message, for what the Russian Football Union described as “discriminatory insults” during Zenit’s 4-0 win in Moscow on Saturday.
Russian media reported that the Brazilian, who played for Barcelona last season, was targeted with monkey chants by a small group of fans after scoring.
Unlike most countries where matches are played behind closed doors, a limited number of home fans are allowed into Russian stadiums.
The fine was the lowest financial penalty allowed for such behaviour under RFU regulations.
RFU disciplinary committee chairman Artur Grigoryants told state news agency RIA Novosti that the verdict took into account that relatively few fans were involved.
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