Europe’s soccer governing body UEFA has ordered La Liga’s Atletico Madrid to play its next two home Champions League games at least 300 kilometres (186 miles) outside Madrid because of racist chanting from spectators at the team’s home game with French club Olympique Marseille earlier this month.
In a sign that it’s finally getting tough on unacceptable bigotry, UEFA also landed the team with a fine of $206,000 fine and banned its coach, Javier Aguirre, for two games for insulting Marseille players. Aguirre will not be allowed to enter the tunnel, technical area or locker room or communicate with the team during the team’s next two games, both against Liverpool.
The stadium ban will affect the Spanish side’s home games against Liverpool October 22 and PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands on November 26.