Lazio and Atletico Madrid have faced penalties from Uefa due to the racist behaviour displayed by their fans during European competitions, as confirmed by Uefa on Friday. This decision follows incidents at recent games involving both clubs.
In response to the racist behaviour of some Lazio fans during their 4-1 victory against Nice, Uefa has mandated the closure of two sectors of the Lazio stadium’s Curva Nord (48 and 49) for the club’s upcoming Europa League home fixture against Porto on 7th November. Additionally, Lazio has been fined €45,000 (£34,432) for the transgression, with an extra game of partial stadium closure as part of the punishment. The partial closure will be in effect for a probationary period of one year.
Atletico Madrid has also been penalized by Uefa, receiving a €30,000 (£23,000) fine for the inappropriate conduct of their fans during a 4-0 defeat against Benfica in the Champions League last week. As a further consequence, Atletico faces a suspended ban on selling tickets to their away fans for a Uefa competition match. This ban is subject to a one-year probationary period.
Additionally, Anderlecht has been prohibited from selling tickets to their away fans for an upcoming Europa League match against RFS in Latvia on 7th November. Uefa enforced this decision based on previous issues related to the lighting of fireworks, throwing of objects, acts of damage, and crowd disturbances during earlier matches. The disciplinary measures imposed on Anderlecht for these infractions were activated by Uefa.
These sanctions highlight the ongoing efforts by football governing bodies to address and eliminate instances of racism, discrimination, and misconduct in football stadiums. Clubs are expected to uphold the values of respect, inclusivity, and fair play, with Uefa taking stern measures to enforce these principles and maintain the integrity of the sport.