Croatia coach Slaven Bilic urged UEFA on June 18 to come down hard on racist football fans.
Bilic’s comments came a day after UEFA charged Croatia
with “improper conduct” of supporters, including “racist chants, racist
symbols” during its European Championship game against Italy on
June 14 in Poznan.
“It’s a big problem all around Europe and all
around the world, and in the name of the whole Croatian nation, and not
just our team, we’re all really disappointed with this,” Bilic said ahead of the team’s final Group C match against Spain. “We are
not a racist country and that’s why we are so angry with these couple of
crazy supporters.”
Bilic said that he “as a Croatian, as a
parent, as a sportsman and as a person who comes from a modern,
open-minded and tolerant state” wanted authorities to do all they can to
“stop this kind of supporter forever.”
UEFA is also looking into reports that Croatian fans
threw a banana toward the pitch during the June 14 match at Poznan’s
Municipal Stadium and racially abused Italy striker Mario Balotelli, who
is black.
An anti-discrimination group appointed by UEFA to work
at Euro 2012 said it has “categorical” accounts from two monitors that
around 300 Croatia fans directed monkey chants at Balotelli.
The striker was substituted in the second half of the 1-1 draw against Croatia.
UEFA’s charge also relates to fireworks thrown onto the pitch after Croatia scored, which delayed Italy’s kickoff to restart the game.
UEFA rules make national associations responsible for their fans’ behavior. Punishments range from warnings and a sliding scale of fines to points deductions and even expulsion from Euro 2012.
The Croatia Football Federation was also fined €25,000 ($31,500) Friday for its fans’
behavior at an earlier match against Ireland. UEFA said the sanction
was imposed for “the setting off and throwing of fireworks and missiles,
and a pitch invasion by a supporter.” A Croatia fan was tackled by stewards after trying to reach Bilic following the 3-1 win.
A Croatia victory over Spain on June 18 would guarantee its passage to the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 from Group C.
