Maccabi Tel Aviv given fan ban and fine by UEFA for ‘racist’ chanting

Maccabi Tel Aviv, whose supporters were controversially excluded from a match at Aston Villa last month, have been given a suspended one-match away fan ban by UEFA for racist chanting.

European football’s governing body confirmed its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) had fined the Israeli club 20,000 euros (£17,550) in relation to their fans’ conduct at a Europa League tie away to German side Stuttgart on December 11.

The sanction is understood to be related to anti-Arab chanting by Maccabi fans.

The CEDB also imposed a ban on Maccabi selling tickets to their fans for their next UEFA competition match away from home, suspended for a probationary period of two years.

Maccabi supporters were barred from travelling for safety reasons for an earlier Europa League tie away to Villa on November 6 by the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG), which said it had acted on advice from West Midlands Police.

The decision was heavily criticised by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described it as “wrong”. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called on the police to review its decision.

Police chiefs were called to give evidence to the Home Affairs Committee of MPs on December 1 regarding the decision, with the committee chair Karen Bradley having requested further information in letters to the police, the SAG and the UK Football Policing Unit.

Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO Jack Angelides admitted to last month the club has a racism problem in sections of the fan base.

He said: “We know we’ve got a long road ahead. There are elements in the club that are not in line with our values, our morals, and we do expend a lot of energy and have been for many, many years in trying to… eradicate that.”

One song sung by a section of the club’s fans includes the words “You are Arab whores, we are ashamed of you.”