The international Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday upheld Uefa’s punishment against Dutch club PSV Eindhoven because of racist incidents during a home Champions League match against Arsenal.
However, a panel of three arbitrators reduced the 50 000 Swiss franc ($34 000) fine imposed by European football’s governing body in October 2002, bringing it back down to the 30 000 Swiss francs ($20 000) originally advocated by Uefa’s
disciplinary body.
Ruling on a final appeal by the Dutch club, the arbitrators found that the incidents during the game in September 2002 had been on ”a relatively small scale”, CAS said in a statement.
PSV were brought to book over the racist chants and missiles from its supporters’ terraces directed at Arsenal’s French striker Thierry Henry.
The Dutch club argued that it could not do any more to stop such incidents and the arbitrators agreed that PSV had taken ”the required measures”.
CAS said ”Uefa was justified in penalising PSV simply on the grounds of strict liability for its supporters’ conduct”. However, the arbitrators appeared to deliver a warning to Uefa, saying ”that it would be appalling if a club could be penalized even if it had committed no fault in relation to the organisation and maintenance of order”.
Uefa began a clampdown on racism last year, urging clubs and national football associations to prevent racist behaviour by fans players or staff following a spate of incidents in European matches. – Sapa-AFP