UEFA said on Tuesday it had opened disciplinary proceedings against European and world champions Spain and Russia for racist behaviour and chanting by their fans during Euro 2012.
The first case against the Spanish Football Federation concerns La Roja’s opening Group C game against Italy on June 10, after which it was claimed that a section of Spanish supporters racially abused striker Mario Balotelli.
The second case against the Russian Football Union relates to the country’s first Group A game against the Czech Republic on June 8, following which it was claimed that defender Theodor Gebre Selassie was taunted with racial slurs.
European football’s governing body said in a statement on its website that it would deal with both cases on Thursday.
The latest allegations come after the Croatian Football Federation was fined 80,000 euros ($100,000, 64,500 pounds) after a UEFA-backed racism monitoring group said up to 500 fans racially abused Balotelli during the countries’ match on June 14.
An AFP photographer positioned in front of the fans at the match also said he heard the chanting and at one point saw a steward pick up a banana from the pitch. The size of the fine handed down to Croatia was criticised, as it was less than the 100,000 euros and one-match suspension given to Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner for flouting strict player advertising rules.
