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Besiktas fined £30k for stray cat hold up in Champions League

Besiktas have been fined nearly £30,000 after a stray cat entered the field of play during a Champions League match - more than the Russian Football Union were fined for racist chanting by fans.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jun 2018, 15:01 GMT
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 15:06 GMT
Besiktas were fined for a cat entering the field during the Champions League. Picture: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty ImagesBesiktas were fined for a cat entering the field during the Champions League. Picture: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
Besiktas were fined for a cat entering the field during the Champions League. Picture: BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images

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Uefa announced the charges against the Turkish club for the feline invasion during the club’s last-16 encounter with Bayern Munich at their Vodafone Park home.

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Play had to be stopped by English referee Michael Oliver until the animal vacated the pitch, with the German giants winning 3-1 on the night.

The cat runs areound the Vodafone Park pitch. Picture: OZAN KOSE/AFP/GettyThe cat runs areound the Vodafone Park pitch. Picture: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty
The cat runs areound the Vodafone Park pitch. Picture: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty

The fine of £29,841 was for insufficient organisation, as well as the throwing of objects and blocked stairways.

In comparison, the RFU were fined £22,000 from Fifa for fans’ racist chanting in a March friendly against France.

Bayern themselves were charged £21,942 for a pitch invasion and illicit banner in the first leg of their semi-final defeat to Real Madrid on April 25, while Roma were fined £6,143 for the setting-off and throwing of fireworks and warned over time-wasting by ball boys in the second leg of their last-16 clash with Shakhtar Donetsk on March 13.