Chelsea condemns racist abuse aimed at Under-19 team
Chelsea has issued a statement over racist abuse aimed at the club’s Under-19 side at the Azersun Stadium, reports BritPanorama.
The incident occurred during a UEFA Youth League fixture against Qarabag FK on November 5 in Baku. Following the event, UEFA sanctioned the Azerbaijani club with a £4,379 fine for the offensive behaviour exhibited by supporters.
In addition to the fine, UEFA has ruled that Qarabag’s youth team must host their next European competition fixture without spectators. This sanction remains suspended for a probationary period of 12 months from the date of the ruling.
Chelsea’s statement condemned the abusive conduct. The club noted, “We are proud of the way our players and staff responded to the incident on the pitch, swiftly reporting it to the referee, and commend those for dealing with the matter professionally and appropriately in line with UEFA protocols.” Chelsea emphasized its commitment to diversity, stating, “Chelsea Football Club is immensely proud of the diversity within our team and across our entire club and will continue to work with UEFA to ensure that those responsible for discriminatory behaviour in football are held accountable.”
The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body confirmed the measures after reviewing the match referee’s report detailing the incidents. The abuse was reported to have begun in the 57th minute when Chelsea’s striker, Sol Gordon, scored. While celebrating near the home supporters, he encountered racist chants and gestures from the crowd, prompting Ukrainian referee Dmytro Kubriak to halt the game at the players’ request.
Following the suspension, play resumed and Chelsea secured a dominant 5-0 victory, bolstered by goals from Jesse Derry, Mheuka, and Frankie Runham. UEFA’s announcement detailed the imposition of a €5,000 fine on Qarabag for the racist behaviours and outlined the requirement for the upcoming match to be played behind closed doors — a sanction suspended for one year, contingent upon compliance with UEFA standards.
Qarabag has since issued a public apology, stating, “We are sorry about this incident. It does not reflect the values of our club. We will investigate it thoroughly.”
This incident underscores the persistent issues of racism in football and the ongoing necessity for clubs and governing bodies to take decisive actions against such behaviour.
