Updated at 18:27,12-11-2024

Belarusian soccer club penalized over fans' racist slurs

RFE/RL

A November 25 soccer match between Belarusian club BATE and Portugal’s Porto will be held without Belarusian fans due to a racism scandal.

Europe's soccer governing body, UEFA, ruled last week that a section of the stadium in the Belarusian city of Barysau will be closed because fans there have shouted racist slurs during previous matches.

It is the first time a Belarusian soccer club has been punished for a racism-related issue.

UEFA's decision came after Luiz Adriano, a Brazilian striker for the Ukrainian club Shakhtar, said that Belarusian fans had insulted him with racist slurs during previous matches.

BATE is based in Barysau, in central Belarus.