Bulgaria hit with pathetic two game stadium closure after racist abuse of England stars

BULGARIA have been handed a pathetic two match stadium ban for the racism that marred their Euro 2020 qualifier with England.

Despite Uefa launching an urgent probe into the shocking scenes that saw fans in the Vasil Levski Stadium warned the match would be abandoned if the racist chants and jeers continued, Euro chiefs have slapped Bulgaria’s wrists.

Bulgaria have been hit with a pathetic two-game stadium closure for their racists taunts of England starsCredit: AFP or licensors

England manager Gareth Southgate talks to the referee while the game is halted following racist behaviour by the Bulgarian fansCredit: EPA

Raheem Sterling and debut-making Tyrone Mings were among the players targeted during the 6-0 win that saw Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate ask his players if they wanted to continue the game.

English players also came close to walking off but fought on to teach the racists a lesson.

The Three Lions players stopped playing after Mings made an official complaint to the assistant referee and captain Harry Kane with 28 minutes played in Sofia.

Angrily turning to the linesman, 26-year-old Mings said: "Hey, did you hear that?"

Kane then went to Croatian referee Ivan Bebek with play stopped for six minutes as an announcement went out around the ground.

Following Uefa protocol, the referee informed Italian Uefa delegate Danilo Filacchione before the announcement, which told fans to stop.

Southgate could be heard saying to the Uefa official: "It's continuing."

FA chairman Greg Clarke spoke to the players before urging action by Uefa.

Yet once again Euro football bosses will stand accused of paying lip service to the anti-racism cause by their punishments.

The timeline of events from England's Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria

Bulgaria were charged with racist behaviour, throwing objects, disrupting the national anthem and showing replays on the giant screen during the game.

There even reports that stewards took off their bibs and entered the crowd as they targeted the Three Lions aces throughout the first half.

England eventually won 6-0 in Sofia, taking a major step towards qualification for Euro 2020, but not before players were forced to stop playing twice in the first half.

But while Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin insisted in the aftermath that his organisation was “committed to doing everything it can to eliminate this disease from football” that message did not get through to the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) that heard the case over two days.

Instead, Uefa announced that Bulgaria should play their next two home senior competitive games behind closed doors.

Tyrone Mings was subjected to vile abuse and made an official complaint to the assistant refereeCredit: AP:Associated Press

But the second of those games was a suspended punishment, only to be enacted if there is further racism in the next two years.

Bulgaria were also fined a total of just £73,000 - £64,600 for the racism - and ordered to display Uefa’s “NO TO RACISM” campaign banner in the stadium at their next two home games.

The FA were fined £4,300 after England fans booed the Bulgarian anthem. A second charge of not sending a sufficient number of stewards will be dealt with on November 21.

Uefa's soft punishment has drawn immediate condemnation from anti-discrimination group Kick It Out.

They said in a statement: "We are disheartened, but not surprised, to learn of Uefa's response to the racist abuse directed at England players.

"In our view, they have missed another opportunity to send an uncompromising message on raciusm and discrimination.

"The current sanctions, however 'tough' Uefa think they may be, are clearly not working and leave victims with little faith in their ability to prevent abusive behaviour.

"We feel Uefa's entire disciplinary process in response to racial discrimination should be overhauled, and urge them to explain their decision-making process behind their sanctions for incidents of discrimination."

Piara Powar, the executive director of the Fare network which works to combat racism and discrimination in football across Europe, felt Bulgaria should have been disqualified from the competition.

"We welcome the speed of this decision, but we are disappointed that Bulgaria will not be expelled from the Euro 2020 qualifying competition given their previous record, and obvious inability to deal with the problems they face," he said.