UEFA chiefs have warned that racist fans could cost their clubs points as the football authorities step up their efforts to clean up the game.
Spanish side Real Zaragoza were last week fined the equivalent of £6,000 after
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o was abused by sections of their supporters, but
far more stringent penalties could be introduced.
Uefa chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson told BBC Radio Five Live's
Sportsweek show that points deductions have already been considered, although
other options will be fully explored.
'I'm a bit reluctant to close the entire stadium because it is also harming
all the other spectators,' he said.
'It would be better to get the other spectators around the ground to react
against those who are acting in this stupid way because I'm convinced it cannot
be a majority of the fans in a stadium supporting this kind of action.
'It's identifying individuals and keeping them out of the stadium is probably
more efficient.
'We have been discussing also within UEFA whether we should have other
measures, such as taking points away from a club, for example, or changing a
result, but this is a very tricky one because you cannot have the matches
decided in the boardroom or by the disciplinary bodies.
'It should be decided on the pitch, so our first objective has to be to get
everybody involved around the match to create the correct atmosphere.
'We have to look into if there should be sporting consequences of this kind
of behaviour because that is a very strong message to everybody involved.'
The Spanish authorities have been criticised for the level of the fine handed
out to Zaragoza, although Olsson insists the figure is immaterial.
'I don't think the size of the fine is of any importance, actually, because
this is a huge amount in Spain compared to what they have done before,' he
said.
'It's a small amount compared to the fact that it's a professional football
club with a turnover where this kind of sum is not significant.
'It's important to take a decision against this behaviour, but I think we
have to find other ways of addressing it.
'We have to mobilise other fans, for example, to act, we have to mobilise the
players to act and all the officials to act. We have said that during this spring, we are trying to find other ways of
addressing the matter.
'It has to be a combination of disciplinary action and education, and this is
also where we need the backing of our political authorities so we can intervene
in matches, we can close certain sections of a stadium, for example, or we can
have more efficient ways of dealing with it.
'But we have to do something. Generally speaking, it seems we have a tougher
climate coming up, especially between fans and players and officials.
'What we now see and have seen over this season concerning the abuse of
people because of colour and other things is absolutely not acceptable.
'This is something we definitely have to address in a better way.'
