September 29 – Scottish giants Celtic have received their ninth UEFA sanction in five years in after the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) decided to fine the club €10,000 for flying pro-Palestinian flags at their Champions League play-off, first leg tie, against Israel’s Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
The club will be relieved that the sanction was not greater after fans had defied club and Scottish police requests not to make a political statement against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Before the start of the Champions League cup qualifier, activists from the group Palestine Alliance handed out flags and leaflets to fans entering the stadium.
The protest had apparently been co-ordinated via a Facebook group titled‘Fly the flag for Palestine, for Celtic, for Justice’. The group said that UEFA should not support Israel or its politics.
This was not the first time Celtic fans have run into controversy over Palestinian flags. In 2014, UEFA fined the club more than $18,000 for waving Palestinian flags during a match against Iceland’s KR Reykjavik.
Celtic’s previous UEFA sanctions:
- December 2015: Fenerbahce (A) – £10,000 for improper conduct of team as well as flares
- March 2015: Inter Milan (A) – £5850 for improper conduct of team, £3650 fine for flares
- February 2015: Dinamo Zagreb (A) – £7400 fine for inappropriate crowd behaviour
- July 2014: KR Reykjavik (H) – £16,000 fine for illicit banner
- December 2013: AC Milan (H) – £42,200 fine for illicit banner
- July 2013: Cliftonville (H) – £4200 fine for flares
- March 2012: Udinese (A) – £21,000 fine for flares and illicit banner
- December 2011: Rennes (A) – £12,700 fine for illicit chanting
Scottish women forfeit
In separate disciplinary decision Scotland’s U19 women had their European Championship qualifying match against Serbia forfeited and awarded to the Serbs as a 3-0 win.
The decision was made under the ‘refusal to play’ UEFA rules. Scotland had returned home before the match was played after a mystery stomach bug reduced their squad to not having enough players to complete the fixture.
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