The other Rome club has been charged by UEFA for the 4th time this season, following their win against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Europa League. This time it's for racist behaviour, throwing missiles and insufficient organisation, which sounds a bit vague. They face the prospect of having to play one home game in the competition behind closed doors, but is that really enough? They've shown time and again that there's clearly a problem at the club and it's one that they're unwilling to address. Why should opposition fans and players have to put up with this kind of **** in every game against them? What has to happen before they're given a significant punishment?
They were too slow to bring in the suspended ban but now they have they've done it they need to back it up by accepting that 4 times in one season means that Lazio have some deep rooted racism problems in their supporter base(shock!) that they're not dealing with well. Now's a good opportunity for UEFA to up the ante, hit them with a big fine, make them play a game behind closed doors and put another 2 games behind closed doors suspended and make it very clear that they've got until the end of the season to clean up their act and bring supporters inline, if not, they can't compete in UEFA competitions.
Seriously, I think its going to take someone being killed until the Ostriches at UEFA take racism and anti-Semitism seriously. It's been two close calls for us alone this season, and I dread to think of all the stuff that goes under the UK media's radar in places like Eastern Europe or about smaller Western teams. Surely its time FIFA stepped in oh no wait... I genuinely think we need some drastic action by the FA. Surely if FA administered teams withdrew from Europe we'd show that we are genuinely taking the issue seriously, and with convincement, surely the German and Spanish equivalent could be persuaded to join a non-UEFA affiliated Anglo-German-Spanish cup? The money would be there, companies would fall head over heels for sponsorship and TV rights, and all 3 FA's would look like they were taking a strong united front against Racism, which would force UEFA's hand. But... then realism strikes.
I meant the "insufficient organisation" bit, Roo! Not a very specific charge, just like the crowd disturbance one that we were hit with.
Inter hit with £43,000 fine for the racial abuse of Balotelli. I haven't seen the abuse first hand but once again this seems like a farcically low punishment. The only way clubs are going to act on racism is if the fine is gigantic, in the £500k-£1m region. I'm dreading our visit to Milan, you can just tell there will be trouble of some sort.
The punishments are ridiculous. Fines should start in the millions going into the 10's of millions then they might do something about it. Lets face it, the mousers got all of the british clubs banned for a little bit of pushing and shoving at Hysel. I know a few Italians came off a little bit worse for wear at Hysel but nothing nasty was meant. Morally, what is going on now is far worse.
Zero tolerance was a term I heard bandied about a while ago, what a joke, even on a 3 strikes and you're out basis (which there isn't, just saying), Lazio continue to flout the rules, if thats what you call them!, with a 4th incident. Here's UEFA's Executive Committee...seems to be an absence of a certain skin colour here...don't know if that has any relevance! please log in to view this image Mind you, its not the best time to be bringing that up when our own house has been blown down a bit! http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/feb/23/paul-elliott-quits-kick-it-out-fa
"Elliott had been a Kick It Out trustee since 1996, two years after he was forced to end his career through injury. He played for Charlton, Luton and Aston Villa before spells in Italy with Pisa and Bari."
Bari??, after Pisa he went to Celtic, and then Chelsea where Dean Saunders ended his career with a tackle. David Platt played for Bari, not so sure about Elliott.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21610508 Lazio president Claudio Lotito said the sanction was "incredible" and that his club would appeal against the decision. "To suffer a punishment of one or two games behind closed doors, which will cause serious economic damage to the club and prevent fans from participating in an event like this, seems absurd to me," he added.
Another paltry fine, too. The club's clearly got no interest in addressing the problem, unfortunately.
Finally some sort of action though! Next step has got to be a Competition ban though, Lazio have pushed it far enough surely?
Lazio president Claudio Lotito said the sanction was "incredible" and that his club would appeal against the decision. "To suffer a punishment of one or two games behind closed doors, which will cause serious economic damage to the club and prevent fans from participating in an event like this, seems absurd to me," he added. I'd double the ban just for Lotito acting like a twat. If he thinks that racist chanting in 4 of their 7 Europa League games doesn't warrant severe punishment then he shouldn't be in charge of a club.
You don't think it happened at the other three as well? Anyway, I agree the penalty should be increased just because of that ludicrous statement from the President.
A bit like that rule where if you backchat the freekick can go forward another 10yds, but for owners. Did that rule get binned?
