£100k fines in five years as Uefa punishes Celtic again

CELTIC have been punished for the fifth time in as many years by Uefa for the conduct of their supporters, taking the total amount of fines imposed on the club by European football’s governing body in that period to over £100,000.

The latest sanction handed out by Uefa’s Control and Disciplinary Body was confirmed yesterday, a £21,000 fine for displaying an offensive banner and setting off fireworks during the Europa League Group I fixture against Udinese in Italy on 15 December.

The charge was originally scheduled to be heard on 26 January but was postponed for a month by Uefa due to a backlog of cases.

It was subsequently reported that Uefa had put Celtic’s hearing back again, until today’s date of 29 March, for the same reason. But a Uefa spokesman yesterday revealed that the Control and Disciplinary Body had, in fact, found Celtic guilty on 23 February and issued the €25,000 fine.

Unlike previous occasions, details were not published on Uefa’s official website. Celtic, who immediately told Uefa they would not appeal against the verdict, also made no public acknowledgement of the fine.

“It was mistakenly reported that the case was postponed again until March,” said a Uefa spokesman last night. “We do not publish every decision of the Control and Disciplinary Body on our website, there are so many cases.”

A section of the 800-strong Celtic support at the Friuli Stadium unveiled a banner with the message “F*** Uefa” and let off flares shortly before kick-off at the match which came just three days after the club had been fined £12,700 for “illicit” pro-IRA chants from their fans during the earlier Group I game at home to Rennes on 3 November.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, who had condemned the chanting at the Rennes fixture and subsequently pledged to stamp it out, was visibly angered at the form of protest made by some of the club’s followers in Udine.

The day after the match, he described them as a “rogue element” and accused them of “embarrassing” the club.

Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, was even stronger in his denunciation of those involved, insisting they were “hell bent on damaging the reputation of the club”.

There is no doubt that Celtic, who received Uefa’s Fair Play award for the positive behaviour of their supporters at the 2003 Uefa Cup final in Seville, have now compiled a dismal charge sheet from the Nyon disciplinary body as a result of the recidivism displayed over the last five years. In March 2007, the club received a nominal £420 fine for two incidents of plastic bottles being thrown towards the pitch at the San Siro Stadium during a Champions League match against AC Milan.

Seven months later, Celtic were found guilty of improper conduct by supporters and lack of organisation during another Champions League game against Milan at Parkhead which saw one fan enter the pitch and confront visiting goalkeeper Dida.

Celtic were fined £25,000 on that occasion, half of the amount suspended for a two-year probationary period, while Dida received a two-match suspension for unsporting behaviour after reacting theatrically to the incident.

In November 2008, a supporter was able to invade the pitch once more during Celtic’s home Champions League match against Manchester United.

Uefa found Celtic guilty of improper conduct again, with a late kick-off to the match also cited as reason for the punishment, and fined them £42,400.

The latest fine means Celtic have had to pay out a total of £101,520 to Uefa since 2007.