The vice president of Ukraine’s football federation unveiled a letter to the public from FIFA, the world’s top soccer governing body, that contains the alleged infractions under which it is being investigated for events that transpired during the Sept. 7 World Cup qualifier against San Marino in Lviv.
During a round table discussion today on security and safety in
soccer, FFU Vice President Serhiy Storozhenko showed journalists a letter
from FIFA dated Sept. 11 that contained accusations of at least six breaches of
FIFA’s disciplinary code, according to Futbol magazine chief editor Artem
Frankov who attended the event.
They are, according to Frankov: a flag of the World War II
era SS Galicia division; a banner of Na Dobranich, an alleged right-wing extremist
group; a T-shirt with the numbers 88; a group of fans shouting, “Heil Hitler;”
a collective hoot toward Brazilian-born Edmar who plays for the Ukraine team;
and the use of pyrotechnics.
According to Frankov, the letter from FIFA was based on a
report that its own delegate, and a delegate from Football Against Racism in
Europe, a pan-European anti-racism group, had written after attending the match.
On Sept. 18, FIFA spokesperson Giovanni Marti
told the Kyiv Post that FIFA opened an investigation into “discrimination” and
“organization of matches,” under article 58 and 65, respectively, of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The soccer governing body also
is investigating the Ukrainian football federation under FIFA Stadium Safety
and Security Regulations.
“Please understand, that we cannot make any
further comment as (the) investigation is ongoing,” said Marti.
Today, another FIFA spokesperson, Sascha
Rhyner, said a “decision is likely to be passed and notified before the next
match (on Oct. 11 against Poland in Kharkiv) of the team.”
According to FIFA’s disciplinary code,
“anyone who offends the dignity of a person or group of persons through contemptuous,
discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, color,
language, religion or origin shall be suspended for at least five matches.
Furthermore, a stadium ban and a fine of at least 20,000 Swiss francs shall be
imposed. If the perpetrator is an official, the fine shall be at least 30,000
Swiss francs.”
Serious offences of
discrimination “may be punished with additional sanctions, in particular an
order to play a match behind closed doors, the forfeit of a match, a points
deduction or disqualification from the competition.”
A football association that fails
to fulfill the “organization of matches” article, shall be fined an undisclosed
sum.
“In the case of a serious
infringement of article 65, additional sanctions may be imposed, such as a
stadium ban or ordering a team to play on neutral ground,” reads FIFA’s
disciplinary code.
Kyiv Post editor Mark
Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].
