Qarabag Youth Team Fined by UEFA for Racist Abuse Incident

Qarabag Youth Team Fined by UEFA for Racist Abuse Incident

Qarabag Youth Team Fined by UEFA for Racist Abuse Incident

The youth team of Qarabag has been fined €5,000 (£4,379) by UEFA following an incident of racist abuse from at least one supporter during an academy match against Chelsea in Azerbaijan.

In addition to the fine, the team has been mandated to play their next UEFA competition match as the host club behind closed doors; however, this punishment is suspended for one year.

During the match held at the Azersun Stadium in Baku on November 5, Arsenal striker Sol Gordon, 17, scored the opening goal in the 57th minute. He celebrated near a section of fans, which prompted some to confront the players in the sparsely attended game.

Eyewitnesses reported to BBC Sport that they witnessed and heard monkey gestures directed at the players.

The UEFA Youth League match was halted for several minutes as players raised their concerns to Ukrainian referee Dmytro Kubriak, with coaching staff, including head coach Calum McFarlane, engaged in discussions about the incident.

At one point, it seemed Chelsea might consider abandoning the match, but they ultimately decided to continue and secured a 5-0 victory.

After the game, Chelsea stated that they had reported the incident to UEFA, expressing pride in how their players and staff handled the situation on the pitch by promptly notifying the referee. They commended those involved for their professional and appropriate response in accordance with UEFA protocols.

A spokesperson for Qarabag issued an apology, stating that the behavior does not reflect the club's values and promised a thorough investigation into the matter.

In a related incident, Atletico Madrid has also faced penalties due to racist gestures and Nazi salutes from supporters during their 4-0 Champions League defeat at Arsenal on October 21. UEFA fined the La Liga club €30,000 (£26,275) and imposed a suspended one-match ban on selling tickets to their fans for an away fixture.

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