(Reuters) – UEFA has sanctioned the Romanian soccer federation (FRF) over pro-Serbia chanting by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier against Kosovo last week, European soccer’s governing body said on Wednesday.
The Sept. 12 match in Bucharest was suspended for 50 minutes after some home fans chanted, “Serbia Serbia” and held up a banner saying ‘Kosovo is Serbia’.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and won recognition from more than 100 countries, but not from Romania.
UEFA fined the FRF 40,000 euros ($42,540) and ordered Romania’s next home game, a Euro qualifier against Andorra on Oct. 15 in Bucharest, to be played without fans.
UEFA also fined Ukraine’s federation (UAF) 20,000 euros for “racist behaviour” by supporters during a Euro qualifier against England on Sept. 9 in Wroclaw, Poland, where fans displayed flags with far-right symbols.
UEFA ordered the partial closure of the Prague stadium hosting Ukraine’s next home game against North Macedonia on Oct. 14. The UAF are also banned from selling tickets to fans for its next away game in Malta on Oct. 17.
Ukraine have not played at home since Russia launched an invasion of the country in February 2022, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.
($1 = 0.9403 euros)
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
