Maccabi Tel Aviv Receives Suspended Fan Ban from UEFA
Maccabi Tel Aviv has been issued a suspended one-match away fan ban by UEFA due to "racist and/or discriminatory behavior" exhibited by its supporters during last week's Europa League match against German club Stuttgart.
The Israeli team, whose fans were previously prohibited from attending an away game at Aston Villa in November over safety concerns, has also been fined €20,000 (£17,550) for the conduct of its supporters during the match on December 11.
UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) announced that the ban on Maccabi selling tickets to their fans for the next away match in a UEFA competition will be suspended for a probationary period of two years.
In the match against Stuttgart, Maccabi suffered a 4-1 defeat, leaving them with only one point from six matches in the league phase of the Europa League.
Maccabi previously lost 2-0 to Premier League club Aston Villa last month, with their traveling fans barred from attending the match in Birmingham following a decision by the city’s Safety Advisory Group.
This decision faced significant backlash, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labeling it "wrong" and asserting that "we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets."
On December 1, West Midlands Police officials were called to testify before the Home Affairs Committee of MPs regarding the situation.
Committee chair Karen Bradley has requested additional information from the police and Birmingham City Council concerning the decision-making process that led to the ban on Maccabi supporters.