UEFA’s hammer has fallen on seven countries whose fans were found culpable of racial and discriminatory behavior at Euro 2024.
Some matches at the tournament involved ugly scenes, with supporters seen fighting, while others involved in spewing racial and discriminatory chants.
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB), via a press statement on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, confirmed the charges for seven national federations over incidents pertaining to a total of 17 matches.
Croatia
The first country handed punishments was Croatia, who have been fined £41,972 and banned from selling tickets to their away fans for their next UEFA competitive match.
This is due to their supporters’ racist and discriminatory behavior in all three of their Group B fixtures, against Spain, Albania and Italy.
Croatia face Portugal next at the Estadio da Luz on September 5, 2024, in a League A Group 1 match of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League.
The new sanction handed to the Croats by UEFA will result in them not being able to sell tickets to their away fans for the game against Portugal.
Romania
Romania were also not spared, as they have been handed a £33,583 fine and banned from selling tickets to away supporters for their next UEFA match following similar incidents across three of their games – Ukraine, Belgium and the Netherlands.
They made it past the group stage, before being eliminated from the tournament by the Netherlands in the last 16.
Romania are housed in League C Group 2 of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League and their next away game is against Kosovo on September 6, 2024.
Albania
Albania have also been punished for their racial and discriminatory behavior during their group-stage matches against Croatia and Spain respectively.
Additionally, they have been fined £25,183 and given a one-UEFA match ban from selling tickets to their away supporters, suspended for a probationary period of two years.
Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia Also Punished For Actions Of Their Fans At Euro 2024
The Hungarian Football Federation, Football Association of Slovenia and Football Association of Serbia have been given the same punishment for racist and discriminatory behavior.
Hungary and Slovenia fans were involved in incidents in two matches, all three of Serbia’s Group C games – England, Slovenia, and Denmark, involved such bad behavior from their supporters.
Austria
Austria has received a lower fine compared to others, with UEFA handing the country a fine of £16,788 and a suspended one-UEFA match ban from selling tickets to away fans.
This punishment handed to them by UEFA is due to racist and discriminatory behavior in their group game against Poland on June 21, 2024.
Rodri And Alvaro Morata Charged By UEFA
Spain’s duo of Rodri and Alvaro Morata were charged earlier this week for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during their victory celebrations.
A complaint was lodged by the Gibraltar FA for what was termed an “extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations.”
Subsequently, an ethics and disciplinary inspector was appointed to examine the incident and disciplinary proceedings have now been opened.
The charges have to do with violations of the general principles of conduct, basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for non-sporting manifestations, and bringing the sport and UEFA into disrepute.
Based on a statement from UEFA, a decision “is expected in due course.”
According to reports, the two players could be suspended for two matches if UEFA decides to sanction both players.
Spain – Champions of Euro 2024
Spain defeated England on July 14, 2024, to win Euro 2024, courtesy a goal by Nico Williams in the 47th minute, which was canceled out by Cole Palmer’s goal for the Three Lions in the 73rd minute.
Four minutes before the expiration of normal time, Mikel Oryazabal scored the decisive goal of the encounter for La Roja.
