The former France international says European football’s governing body cannot take any direct action for an incident outside of a football event
UEFA president Michel Platini says the organisation is powerless to take any action against the group of Chelsea supporters caught in a racism storm.
Blues boss Jose Mourinho and owner Roman Abramovich condemned the actions of a small number of fans who were filmed preventing a black man from entering the Paris metro on Tuesday before singing “we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it”.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has since added his voice to the growing outrage surrounding the incident, but Platini has stressed Uefa cannot take any direct action given the scene did not occur within the confines of a football event.
“We cannot punish,” he told RMC. “We can punish what happens in the stadium, or within the stadium perimeter but outside, on the metro, what do you want me to do?
“I don’t have the means or the power to do it. I can recommend clubs to pay attention to their supporters and see what they can potentially do. But it’s difficult to punish.”
A total of five fans have so far been suspended from attending games at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea as they continue to investigate the incident, which occurred prior to the 1-1 Champions League draw with Paris Saint-Germain. [Goal.com]
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