2 yıl önce

FIFA takes disciplinary action against Senegal, Nigeria over fan disorder

The football governing body ordered African champions Senegal and Nigeria to play one match behind closed doors after crowd disorder during last month’s 2022 World Cup play-offs.

Reuters Archive

FIFA issued a raft of sanctions worldwide after studying dozens of cases from World Cup qualifying games played since the start of the year.

FIFA has fined Senegal’s soccer federation $180,000 for fan disorder at a World Cup playoff game, including shining laser pointers at Egypt star Mohamed Salah in the penalty shootout.

FIFA said on Monday its disciplinary committee also looked into a pitch invasion by Senegal fans, an offensive banner and the national federation’s “failure to ensure that law and order are maintained in the stadium.”

Salah’s face was a blur of vivid green light when he prepared to take his penalty, which he blasted over the bar.

Senegal went on to win the shootout in Dakar in March with Salah's Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane scoring the decisive spot kick.

Senegal was also ordered to play a future competitive game in an empty stadium.

Disciplinary action

The FIFA disciplinary panel judged dozens of similar cases from World Cup qualifying games played since January and handed out several other fines and stadium closures.

Nigeria was punished with a $154,000 fine and one-game stadium closure.

Fans invaded the field in Abuja and there were other incidents of disorder after Nigeria was eliminated at home by Ghana in their playoff.

FIFA imposed fines of around $128,000 on Congo and around $103,000 on Lebanon in similar cases at games against Morocco and Syria, respectively. Both got one-game stadium closures.

Discrimination by fans of Chile and Colombia at their home games, plus other offences, resulted in total fines of around $98,000 and $56,500, respectively.

SOURCE: AP