UEFA orders disciplinary probe on Italy-Serbia

UEFA said on Wednesday that it had ordered a thorough disciplinary investigation into “serious” crowd trouble that forced the Euro 2012 qualifier between Italy and Serbia to be aborted.

European football’s governing body underlined in a statement that sanctions up to disqualification from the competition were possible under the rule book, after its disciplinary body meets on October 28 to consider the incidents.

The match, in the north Italian city of Genoa, was abandoned Tuesday night after just six minutes due to Serbian fans throwing flares onto the pitch and at rival Italy supporters.

Fourteen people were hospitalised on Wednesday after Serbian fans then clashed with Italian police.

“UEFA confirmed today that it has immediately opened a full and thorough disciplinary investigation into the incidents of serious disorder witnessed at the match and the circumstances surrounding it,” it said.

Once the evidence has been gathered, including the referee and match delegate’s reports, the case would be put to UEFA’s control and disciplinary body “for further review and possible sanctions”.

“The sanctions that are available to the Control and Disciplinary Body can be found in the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations… and range from a reprimand or fine, up to a stadium closure or ‘disqualification from competitions in progress and/or exclusion from future competitions’,” UEFA added.

However, it is not just Serbia who face possible sanctions as UEFA spokesman Rob Faulkner told Italian agency ANSA that the governing body would also be investigating the host country’s responsibility to maintain order.

“We can’t yet say anything with relation to the investigation which will be carried out by the Disciplinary Commission but I remind you that our regulations provide not only for a sanction against premeditated actions by either set of fans but also a co-responsibility of the host federation for not having adequately guaranteed public order,” he said.

Given the actions of the Serb fans it is unlikely that Italy would face as stiff a penalty as Serbia but UEFA’s press office told AFP that the range of possible sanctions was the same for both countries.

ANSA also reported that UEFA have asked the Italian Football Association (Figc) to supply video footage from the game.