European football governing
body UEFA on Thursday formally ratified plans to impose 10-game European
suspensions on players and officials found guilty of racism.
LONDON: European football
governing body UEFA on Thursday formally ratified plans to impose 10-game
European suspensions on players and officials found guilty of racism.
Racist behaviour by
supporters will initially be punished with a partial stadium closure, with a
full stadium closure for a second offence.
The new measures were
approved at the organisation's executive committee meeting in London, but UEFA
general secretary Gianni Infantino said individual member associations could
still opt to introduce their own anti-racism sanctions, after England's
Football Association announced plans for minimum five-game bans.
"An association should
adopt the same or similar measures. UEFA has always acted in a way to try to
convince people rather than impose," he told a press conference.
"I don't think you
measure the way of fighting against racism in one simple measure and sanction.
"The way I read the
FA's decision is that it could be five matches and it could also be 15. The FA
are sure that their way of regulating is more correct for England.
"It's their decision,
but it doesn't mean they do more or less than us. Everyone has to do what they
can do in this field.
"The FA is autonomous
and knows best what is best for England to do in the fight against racism. It
is probably one of the countries where the most has been done."
UEFA also announced that it
will extend the use of blood tests to detect doping from next season onwards.
"We want to do
everything possible to show that we want a clean sport," Infantino said.
"We had some good
experiments with blood tests in 2008 and 2012 (at the European Championships).
We thought it was the right moment."
Infantino added that medical
experts would decide the number of tests to be conducted and in which
competitions the tests would be carried out.
Until now, UEFA has relied
on urine tests, which several specialists consider insufficient.
In addition, UEFA will
launch a study of 900 samples taken from footballers since 2008 in order to
look for traces of steroids. The tests will be anonymous and will not lead to
sanctions.
UEFA also announced stricter
punishments for insulting and assaulting match officials.
The ban for insulting
officials has been raised from two to three matches, while players who assault
officials will now face suspensions of 15 matches, rather than 10.
In another announcement,
UEFA revealed that the 2015 Champions League final will take place at Berlin's
Olympic Stadium, with the Europa League final being hosted by Warsaw.
At Friday's UEFA Congress,
the organisation is also expected to announce that the winners of the Europa
League will qualify automatically for the Champions League, in order to boost
the appeal of the second-tier tournament.
- AFP/fl
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