UEFA punishes Lazio for fans' racism at Europa League game

AP , Wednesday 16 Oct 2019

Lazio
Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, left, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Europa League Group E soccer match between Lazio and Rennes, at Rome's Olympic Stadium, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. (AP)

UEFA has punished Lazio for fans' racist behavior by closing one end of Stadio Olimpico for its Europa League game against Celtic.

UEFA says its disciplinary panel also threatened Lazio with a one-game full stadium closure, suspended for a one-year probationary period. The club was fined 20,000 euros ($22,000).

Lazio suggested late Tuesday it would appeal against what it called ''severe punishment,'' though the sanctions align with UEFA's escalating scale in discrimination cases.

The Italian club has regularly been punished by UEFA in recent years for chants and fascist salutes made by ''ultra'' fan groups.

The latest incidents were at an Oct. 3 game against Rennes.

UEFA has ordered both tiers of the Curva Nord stand closed when Celtic visits on Nov. 7.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

Short link: