Football
Associated Press 7y

Rostov to avoid UEFA discipline for banana-throwing incident

UEFA says it has not opened a disciplinary case against Russian club FC Rostov after a banana was thrown onto the field during a Champions League game.

Anti-discrimination group FARE Network, which provides observers at European games, had notified UEFA of the incident at Wednesday's 2-2 draw between Rostov and PSV Eindhoven.

FARE said it believed the banana had been targeted at PSV left back Jetro Willems, who is black.

FARE director Piara Power said: "We have reviewed the media from the match and have seen that it took place in the eighth minute after Rostov scored and took place in the opposite end to the action. A supplementary report to UEFA will follow from us this morning."

UEFA said in a statement on Friday that "there is no disciplinary case opened following this match."

Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Koloskov, the honorary president of the Russian Football Union, expressed concern about the implications of the incident.

He said: "This banana could cost us heavily. It's not to be tolerated at any time, especially now. Rostov may be forced to play a game behind closed doors."

UEFA had already punished Rostov, which is based in one of the host cities for the 2018 World Cup, with a partial stadium closure following fan racism in its opening Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

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