MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th October, 2019) The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) decided Tuesday that in the wake of racist incidents during a Euro 2020 qualifier match with England, Bulgaria will play its next two matches behind closed doors, while the order is suspended for the second game.
Earlier in October, England beat Bulgaria 6:0 in Sofia. The game was, however, halted twice over the racist behavior of home fans, who chanted racial slurs and threw up Nazi salutes. Some of them also held up a shirt with the caption "No Respect," a reference to the equality and anti-racism campaign of UEFA.
"The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has decided: to order the Bulgarian Football Union to play behind closed doors the next two (2) matches that will be played by its A representative team as host association in a UEFA competition, the second of which being suspended during a probationary period of two (2) years as from the date of the present decision, for the racist behaviour of its supporters," the UEFA statement reads.
UEFA also fined the Bulgarian Football Union (BFS) $83,300 for the racist behavior of local fans.
Bulgaria is also ordered to display a banner reading "NO TO RACISM" during the next two UEFA competition games.
On October 15, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov demanded that the president of the Bulgarian Football Union resign after the incident, and BFS President Borislav Mihaylov submitted his resignation the same day.
According to local reports, at least five people were detained over this racist incident.
