By Andrew Warshaw in Warsaw
June 16 – In its clearest message to date of zero tolerance when it comes to discrimination, UEFA made its first formal charges of racism at Euro 2012 today, opening a case against the Croatian Football Association after receiving reports that fans made monkey chants directed at Manchester City’s Italian striker Mario Balotelli.
UEFA charged Croatia with “improper conduct” of supporters, including “racist chants, racist symbols” at the group game in Poznan on Thursday (June 14) after hearing from anti-discrimination observers posted at every game of the tournament.
Balotelli (pictured below), who said before the finals began that he would walk off the pitch if he heard any abuse, started the game for Italy but was replaced in the second half of the 1-1 draw.
The charge also relates to fire crackers thrown on the field after Croatia scored, which delayed the restart.
UEFA said its disciplinary panel will judge the case on Tuesday (June 19).
UEFA is also studying reports that a banana was thrown toward the field from a section housing Croatia fans but the Croatian FA responded by saying it condemned all such incidents and “distances itself from all deviant behaviour on the part of the fans.”
“Those responsible were “not supporters, but hooligans who should be isolated from all sports events,” the Croatian organisation said in a statement, appealing to UEFA “not to punish the Croatian national team.”
Punishments range from warnings and fines to points deductions and even expulsion from Euro 2012.
That is highly unlikely though four years ago, UEFA fined Croatia for neo-Nazi flags and chants during a Euro 2008 quarter-final defeat to Turkey in Vienna.
UEFA has clamped down on several instances of crowd misdemeanour at Euro 2012 including provocative banners but this is the first action against racism.
They are still investigating reports of alleged racist chanting during Italy’s match against Spain in Gdansk on June 10, and Russia’s match with the Czech Republic in Wroclaw on June 8 – the opening day of the tournament.
The issue of racism dominated the build-up to the tournament, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine and the biggest sporting event in Eastern Europe since the end of communism.
Members of the Netherlands squad complained of hearing monkey noises at an open training session at Wisla Krakow’s stadium on June 8 when tens of thousands of Poles turned up on the first day of the tournament.
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