Uefa Sanctions Seven Teams for Racist Behavior at Euro 2024

Uefa has penalized seven of the 24 teams competing in Euro 2024 due to incidents of racist or discriminatory behavior by their fans. The affected teams are Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary and Albania. The sanctions vary in severity. For instance, Uefa has fined Croatia €50,000 (£41,970) and banned them from selling tickets for their next Uefa away match which will be a Nations League game against Portugal on September 5.

Similarly, Uefa has fined Austria €20,000 (£16,790) and imposed a suspended ticket-selling ban for their next Uefa away match, effective for two years. Furthermore, Uefa’s officials identified 17 games with such behavior including three involving Slovenia, Romania, Croatia and Serbia. These penalties come in the wake of recent controversy involving Spain’s players Rodri and Alvaro Morata.

Specifically, Uefa’s officials have charged them with breaching “basic rules of conduct” after they sang offensive songs about Gibraltar following their final victory over England. Consequently, Gibraltar’s FA lodged a formal complaint regarding the incident. Moreover, Uefa is committed to addressing and mitigating discriminatory behavior in football.

The governing body aims to enforce fair play and create a respectful environment both on and off the pitch. Consequently, the sanctions reflect Uefa’s broader effort to tackle racism and ensure that the tournament upholds the values of inclusivity and sportsmanship.