By Andrew Warshaw
April 4 – UEFA have fined Porto €20,000 (£17,000/$26,000) after a section of fans racially abused Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli during a Europa League game in February.
City lodged a complaint after the Italian, born to Ghanaian immigrants, was subjected to monkey taunts during the first leg of their knockout tie.
Porto have three days to appeal.
After the game, the Porto coach, Vítor Pereira, claimed there may have been a misunderstanding and that fans were chanting “Hulk, Hulk, Hulk” at the Portuguese club’s own much-vaunted forward.
But UEFA dismissed the explanation.
“The UEFA control and disciplinary body has imposed a fine of €20,000 on FC Porto for racist conduct of their supporters at their first-leg round of 32 UEFA Europa League match against Manchester City FC on 16 February in Porto,” a brief statement said.
Despite the fine, there will be alarm in some quarters that €20,000 has not sent out a sufficient deterrent given that UEFA has adopted a zero tolerance policy towards racism.
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