The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has sanctioned Atlético de Madrid with the partial closure of its stadium for two matches and a fine of 20,000 euros for violent, racist, xenophobic and intolerant behavior.
The sanction comes after last day, in the match against Athletic Club, an isolated fan uttered a shout from the cheering stands imitating the sound of a monkey directed at the visiting player Nico Williams, according to the referee’s report.
The Disciplinary Committee has considered the events to be very serious infractions classified in articles 69.1.c), 69.2.d) and 76.2, sections b) and d), both of the RFEF Disciplinary Code.
In its resolution it states that the club must identify before 12:00 p.m. on May 3, the structure of the stadium’s stands to determine the area of ??the stadium subject to closure which, according to the arbitration report, would affect the sector located in the south end of the field.
“To this end, in the next two matches to be played by Club Atlético de Madrid, in its sports facilities, access to the public in said area must be closed, which will be duly delimited, and spectators who, in their case, they could be occupying them on a regular basis,” he adds.
It also orders that during the celebration of the matches covered by the sanction of partial closure, the closed area must display a visible message condemning violent, racist, xenophobic and intolerant acts and behavior in football and supporting fair play.
The match report reflected that “approximately in the 36th minute, when the game was to be resumed with a corner kick in favor of Athletic Club, a sound imitating a monkey ‘UH UH’ was heard from the southern stand,” which was heard by assistant referee and player Nico Williams.
“At that precise moment the protocol against racism was activated, indicating to the Atlético de Madrid delegate that the match could not be resumed until it was communicated over the public address system that these attitudes had to stop and that if they were repeated, we should stop again but this once everyone entered the locker room. 1 minute later it was announced over the public address system, resuming the match again,” the resolution adds.
