Red Star Belgrade have been fined 90,000 euros ($104,500) by UEFA and banned from selling tickets to away fans for their next European match after supporters glorified convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic during a Europa League playoff game last week.
Red Star supporters chanted Mladic’s name, performed military-style salutes and displayed a banner praising the former Bosnian Serb military commander during the club’s 5-1 loss to Viktoria Plzeň in the Czech Republic on Aug. 27.
The match was played on the same day Mladic died at age 84 while serving a life sentence in The Hague for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body announced the sanctions Friday, citing charges that included racist and discriminatory behavior and the transmission of a message deemed not fit for a sporting event.
The immediate away-fans ban will apply to Red Star’s next UEFA competition match on the road, when the Serbian club visits Swiss side Lugano in the Conference League. UEFA also imposed a second away-ticket restriction that has been deferred for two years, meaning it could be activated if Red Star commit another similar offense during the probationary period.
