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October 25, 2013
UEFA president Michel Platini has ordered an investigation after a Champions League referee failed to warn Russian fans about racial abuse suffered by Manchester City player Yaya Toure.
UEFA said its rules on how match officials deal with incidents of racial abuse “were not applied” following the Manchester City incident. Yaya Toure was allegedly subjected to racial abuse by CSKA Moscow fans on Wednesday night.
Platini has called for an internal investigation into why the agreement was not implemented. – UEFA
Toure made the allegation after City won the Champions League 2-1 in Moscow, and UEFA has charged the Russian club over alleged racist behaviour by its fans, with a disciplinary hearing scheduled for October 30.
“Michel Platini has asked UEFA management to immediately launch an internal investigation into why the three-step protocol for incidents of racism was not implemented,” UEFA said in a statement.
Boycott the World Cup
The Ivory Coast international has suggested black players could boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and has been backed by anti-racism groups.
However, CSKA Moscow issued a statement saying they were “surprised and disappointed” by the allegations made by Toure and Manchester City officials and expected to challenge UEFA’s charges.
The first step of Uefa's guidelines to deal with racist abuse in stadiums is to stop play and ask stadium officials to broadcast a warning.
If abuse continues, the second step in Uefa's protocol empowers referees to suspend a match and take teams off the pitch.
The third step is abandoning the match.
CSKA also quoted the team’s player, forward Seydou Doumbia, as saying he did not hear any racist remarks.
“I haven’t heard anything like that from CSKA fans,” Dumbia said.
“Yes, they are always loud when supporting their team and trying to put as much pressure as possible on our opponents, but they would never allow themselves to chant racist slogans.
“So my Ivorian colleague was clearly exaggerating.”
“There is no place for racial discrimination”
The local organizing committee for the 2018 World Cup released its own statement, which read: “While the relevant authorities are still investigating these incidents, it is worth reiterating that all stakeholders in Russian football have made it clear that there is absolutely no place for any form of racial discrimination or abuse in our games.
“It is clear that football is uniquely positioned to educate fans about this global issue. The 2018 World Cup in Russia in particular can be a catalyst to positively change the mindset and behaviour of all involved in Russian football over the next four years.
“The recently legislated fan law demonstrates Russia’s determination to eradicate this problem once and for all. The 2018 World Cup in Russia will be a football extravaganza where great athletes from around the world will celebrate.”
Meanwhile, the match referee Ovidiu Hategan, from Romania, has been criticised for failing to follow UEFA procedures and issue a stadium announcement warning to stop the shouting.
UEFA sanctions
PFA deputy chief executive Bobby Barnes, who is also president of international players’ union FIFPro Europe, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the clear protocols agreed to deal with these situations have not been implemented.”
“The player informed the referee as required and he naturally assumed that the referee would go and speak to the security officer, and the agreement reached by UEFA is that the security officer should make an announcement in the stadium to warn the fans that if the chanting does not stop, the game will be stopped.”
The first instance of racist behaviour by fans will be punished by a partial closure of the stadium, while a second instance will result in the closure of the entire stadium and a fine.
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