European football governing body UEFA has handed a €10,000 fine to Spanish club FC Barcelona. In addition, it banned the club’s supporters from attending their next Champions League away game. These measures were meted out in response to the club’s fans’ racist behaviour during their last Champions League game against AS Monaco.
The incident involved the display of Nazi gestures at the away end during Barca’s 2-1 defeat to Monaco at the Stade Louis II. Consequently, the Blaugrana will not be cheered by their fans when they face Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade on November 6.
Furthermore, Barcelona will also be prevented from selling away tickets to an additional UEFA competition game. However, the ban is under suspension for a probationary period of a year.
The second ban is in response to a separate incident where Barca fans made Nazi salutes and racial gestures during a Champions League quarter-final match against PSG at the Parc des Princes in April. The club already received a €25,000 UEFA fine for the incident.
UEFA, in a statement put out today, wrote, “The charges against Barca relate to racism and/or other discriminatory conduct, per Art. 14(2) of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations.”
Barca vice president Elena Fort reacted to the incident, describing it as “disgraceful.” Fort added, “It’s disgusting and sad that someone who says they love the club acts in this manner. Everything has a limit. This can never be repeated. Never.”
The club has agreed to comply with UEFA’s sanctions and distanced itself from the discriminatory acts of its supporters. It said in a statement issued in response to the ban, “Barcelona rejects any justification of violence and, as stated in the club’s statutes, will ensure the protection and promotion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights included in the International Charter of Human Rights proclaimed by the United Nations.”
