By Paul Nicholson
November 28 – FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has turned down appeals from both Ukraine and Peru who were sanctioned for racial abuse and crowd disturbances. They will now have to serve the original penalties imposed and both will start their next World Cup qualifying games for the 2018 tournament behind closed doors.
Ukraine appealed against sanctions imposed after fans racially abused their own black player, Brazilian born Edmar, in the 2014 FIFA World Cup group qualifying game between Ukraine and San Marino, played in Lviv, which Ukraine won 9-0.
Anti-racism group FARE (Football Against Racism Europe), submitted a report highlighting “Nazi salutes and racist monkey noises targeting Edmar,” and that “neo-Nazi banners were on display.”
Ukraine’s Arena Lviv, which hosted three 2012 European Championship matches, is now barred from staging qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. The stadium hosted three matches at the 2012 European Championship.
Ukraine must also play its first home qualifier on the 2018 programme in an empty stadium.
The federation has been fined SFr45,000 and warned about future conduct.
In it statement, FIFA’s disciplinary panel said that “the offensive, denigratory and discriminatory actions of a group of Ukrainian supporters were shameful.”
FIFA said: “Should such incidents occur again, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee would be left with no other option than to impose harsher sanctions against these associations, which could go as far as a match forfeit, a points deduction or disqualification from a competition. The costs of each case will also be borne by the two assocations.”
Peru were initially sanctioned for crowd disturbances at a 2014 World Cup qualification match against Uruguay in Lima on September 6. The penalties of the next World Cup Qualification match (now for the 2018 tournament) to be played behind closed doors, and the SFR20,000 fine have been upheld.
Both federations could still appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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