On Wednesday, UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) announced sanctions against the Romanian soccer federation (FRF) and Ukraine’s federation (UAF) following incidents involving fan behavior during recent Euro 2024 qualifiers.
In the case of the Romanian soccer federation, the sanctions were a response to incidents that occurred during a Euro 2024 qualifier against Kosovo on September 12 in Bucharest. The match was suspended for 50 minutes due to chants from some home fans who repeatedly shouted “Serbia Serbia” and displayed a banner reading ‘Kosovo is Serbia’. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008 and received recognition from over 100 countries; however, Romania does not officially recognize Kosovo.
As a result of these incidents, UEFA has imposed a fine of 40,000 euros ($42,540) on the FRF. Additionally, Romania’s next home game, a Euro qualifier against Andorra scheduled for October 15 in Bucharest, will be played without fans in attendance.
The Ukrainian federation (UAF) faced sanctions for fan behavior during a Euro qualifier against England on September 9 in Wroclaw, Poland. UEFA cited “racist behavior” by supporters, which included the display of flags bearing far-right symbols. As a consequence, UEFA has imposed a fine of 20,000 euros on the UAF.
Furthermore, UEFA has ordered the partial closure of the stadium in Prague, which will host Ukraine’s next home game against North Macedonia on October 14. In addition, the UAF is banned from selling tickets to its fans for the upcoming away game in Malta on October 17.
It’s worth noting that Ukraine has not played any home matches since Russia initiated a military invasion of the country in February 2022, which Moscow has labeled as a “special military operation.” These sanctions by UEFA serve as a reminder of the governing body’s commitment to maintaining the integrity and sportsmanship of the game, both on and off the field.
