07/21/26 11:08:00
Printable Page
07/21 09:30 CDT UEFA punishes Bulgarian club for fans' Nazi salutes and
disorder at Europa League game
UEFA punishes Bulgarian club for fans' Nazi salutes and disorder at Europa
League game
NYON, Switzerland (AP) --- UEFA punished CSKA Sofia on Tuesday for fans' Nazi
salutes and violent conduct at a Europa League game with a 50,000 euros
($57,000) fine and a ban on ticket sales.
The incidents delayed play for 15 minutes last Thursday when CSKA won 2-1 at
Derry City in the first qualifying round of the Europa League.
UEFA's urgent disciplinary ruling prohibits the Bulgarian club selling tickets
for one away game for "throwing of objects, acts of damage and crowd
disturbances." CSKA plays Thursday against Qarabag in Azerbaijan.
On the charge of "racist and/or discriminatory behavior" for the Nazi salutes,
UEFA imposed a further one-game ban on ticket sales suspended for two years of
probation.
Video clips on social media showed a CSKA fan making Nazi salutes when Derry
fans raised a banner with an anti-fascist slogan.
CSKA fans advanced across a neutral area of the stadium to confront a line of
security guards while Derry fans backed away. Some home fans including children
got on the playing area to move toward a safer part of the stadium.
UEFA said a CSKA official was fined 5,000 euros ($5,700) for "violating the
basic rules of decent conduct" and the club must pay Derry City for damage to
the stadium.
The League of Ireland club was fined 20,000 euros ($22,800) for fan disorder
including an "effective invasion of the field of play by its supporters."
Derry City lost 5-3 on aggregate score and dropped down to the third-tier
Conference League qualifying rounds. It faces Rijeka in Croatia on Thursday and
hosts the second leg next week.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
|