Club fans banned by UEFA after racist chants aimed at players; forced to pay fine of Rs 64 lakh

Nyon, Switzerland: UEFA banned fans of Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday from attending the team's next away game in the Europa League because of racist and offensive incidents.

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Fans of the Serbian champion chanted slurs about Roma people, Europe's largest ethnic minority, and also targeted home team Braga when Red Star was beaten 2-0 in Portugal last week. UEFA said its disciplinary panel judged charges of "racist and/or discriminatory behavior" and "illicit chants" not fit for a sports event. Red Star already was on probation for a previous case of racist conduct by fans and now cannot sell tickets for its next away game, at Sturm Graz on Decemmber 11. A fresh probationary period of two years also has started, UEFA said. UEFA fined the 1991 European Cup winner 62,500 ($73,000).