UEFA introduces minimum ban for racist abuse
LONDON, England (AP) — The UEFA executive committee yesterday ratified a 10-match minimum ban for racist abuse by players or officials.
The changes were first announced last month by UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and will now be included in the disciplinary regulations.
While UEFA can only enforce the punishments in its competitions, its 53 members will be asked to adopt the same measures domestically at its congress today. The English Football Association announced last week it will introduce only a five-match minimum ban for racism.
“An association should adopt the same or similar measures,” Infantino said. “UEFA has always acted in a way to try to convince people rather than impose. I don’t think you measure the way of fighting against racism in one simple measure and sanction.”
The debate on racism intensified this season after AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng led his team off a field during a friendly match in Italy after facing abuse from fans.
UEFA has been criticised in the past for fining only national associations for racist abuse by fans.
In the future, if there is racism in the stands at UEFA matches, the first sanction for clubs will no longer just be a fine but a partial stadium closure. If there is further abuse, there will be a full stadium closure and a fine of 50,000 euros ($65,000) imposed on the team.
The executive committee also decided to raise the minimum ban for assaulting match officials from 10 to 15 matches. For insulting a match official, the minimum sanction will rise from two to three matches.
The venues for the finals of the UEFA club competitions in 2015 were also approved — Berlin’s Olympic Stadium for the Champions League and Warsaw’s National Stadium for the Europa League.
Infantino said details on the format of the Europa League will be announced to its congress today, with the winner set to earn a place in the Champions League from 2015.
“We want to inform, first the national associations, and then the media,” Infantino said of the changes.
UEFA is also acting to combat doping.
The steroid profiles of the nearly 900 players who have played in UEFA matches since 2008 will be retrospectively analysed. The results will be used to determine whether to introduce biological passports, which monitor the effects of doping.
“The study will be collective and anonymous and its findings would thus not result in any player incurring an anti-doping rule violation,” UEFA said.
From next season, in addition to the existing urine tests, blood tests — previously only used at the European Championship — will be rolled out to all UEFA competitions.
