Uefa charge ENGLAND after disgraceful Bulgaria racism for booing national anthem and ‘insufficient stewards’
ENGLAND have also been charged by Uefa after the disgusting racism witnessed in Sofia last night.
The Three Lions face charges of disrupting the national anthem as well as providing “insufficient stewards”.
Bulgaria have also been charged by Uefa with racist behaviour, throwing objects and disrupting the national anthem.
England’s players were subjected to vile racist abuse during the Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia and now European football’s governing body has taken action – but against the FA as well as Bulgaria.
The case will be dealt with by the Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body but the date of the meeting is yet to be confirmed.
Bulgaria are believed to be looking at a potential two-match ground closure and a fine in the region of £70,000.
England, meanwhile, are likely to be given a warning or a small fine over their charges.
Fifa also released a statement in reaction to the charges (below).
Earlier today, Bulgarian Football Association boss Borislav Mikhailov dramatically resigned after his country’s night of racist shame.
Just hours after Mikhailov’s resignation, police raided the Bulgarian FA’s headquarters.
Charges against Bulgarian Football Union
– Racist behaviour (chants, Nazi salutes) – Art. 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR)
– Throwing of objects – Art. 16 (2) (b) DR
– Disruption of national anthem – Art. 16 (2) (g) DR
– Replays on giant screen – Art. 42 of the UEFA Safety and Security Regulations
Bulgaria Prime Minister Boyko Borisov demanded Mikhailov step down this morning after fans racially abused Three Lions stars last night – and Raheem Sterling backed the calls.
The PM got his wish when Mikhailov quit – after a section of home fans performed sick monkey chants and Nazi salutes.
An official statement on the Bulgaria FA website read: “After many years spent in the post and with his many contacts at a high international level, Mr Mikhailov expresses his firm readiness to continue to help the development of Bulgarian football in every way possible.”
Earlier in the day, Bulgaria’s Minister for Sport, Krasen Kralev, revealed the Bulgarian PM had vowed to cut all ties with national football bosses unless Mikhailov quit.
Charges against the English FA
– Disruption of national anthem – Art. 16 (2) DR
– Insufficient number of travelling stewards – Art. 24 (2) of the UEFA Safety and Security Regulations
WHAT HAPPENED IN SOFIA?
- Raheem Sterling and Tyrone Mings were targeted with sick racist abuse
- Sterling hits back at racists with brilliant Ainsley Harriott GIF tweet
- Marcus Rashford praises captain Ivelin Popov after he begs fans to stop
- Bulgaria boss sensationally claims he didn’t hear racist abuse
- Mings reveals he first heard racial abuse during warm-up
- Bulgarian media tell Gareth Southgate to ‘f*** off’
- England fans sing ‘Who put the ball in the racists’ net?’
- England go on to win crucial Euros qualification tie 6-0
- Bulgaria PM tells FA chief to quit over race attack.. and gets backed by Sterling
- Bulgaria player tells England racist abuse they suffered was ‘pre-planned’
- Goalkeeper Iliev praises home fans and says England stars overreacted
Kralev said: “A little while ago, the Prime Minister called me urgently.
“You know that in the last four years, the government has done a lot for the development of Bulgarian football.
“But after the recent events, having in mind the whole state of football, after yesterday’s incidents, the Prime Minister has ordered me from today to suspend any relations with the football union, including financial ones, until the resignation of Borislav Mikhailov.”
And Sterling was quick to praise Borisov, tweeting: “A good move credits to you M. Borissov.”
England’s Euro 2020 clash with Bulgaria was halted twice by match officials after Raheem Sterling and Tyrone Mings were racially abused by sections of the Sofia crowd.
Bizarrely, manager Krasimir Balakov said he didn’t hear any abuse – with goalkeeper Plamen Iliev adding to the delusional claim.
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Horrendously, Iliev said: “If I am honest, I believe they [the fans] behaved well today.
“There wasn’t any abuse [as far as I could hear] and I think they [the England players] overreacted a bit.
“The public was on a good level – I didn’t hear any bad language used towards their or our players.”
Fifa statement following racist incidents in Bulgaria
Following changes made to its Disciplinary Code in June 2019, FIFA may extend worldwide any sanctions that a Confederation or Member Association imposes for racist incidents, such as those which occurred in Sofia during the UEFA EURO 2020 qualifier match between Bulgaria and England.
FIFA therefore expects to be informed as soon as practicable regarding the relevant decisions of the UEFA disciplinary bodies in relation to this particular case.
This would allow any sanctions imposed to be extended worldwide.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino: “So many times we say there is no place for racism in football, but nonetheless we still face challenges to tackle this problem in our sport, as we do in society.
“We will need the support of public authorities to help us identify and punish the culprits but we probably also need to think more broadly on what we can do to fix this.
“When we proposed the three step procedure in 2009 when I was at UEFA, and then made the Regulations even tougher a few years later, we could not have imagined that so shortly thereafter we would again be having to think of how to combat this obnoxious disease that seems to be getting even worse in some parts of the world.”
He added: “I call on all football governing bodies to join us and think together of new, stronger and more effective ways to eradicate racism in football.
“As a starting point, I suggest that all competition organizers enact Regulations which envisage life bans from stadiums for those who are found guilty of racist behaviour at a football match.
“FIFA can then enforce such bans at a worldwide level.”