Sion fined over political propaganda
Reuters - Monday 26 March 2012, 21:21
Troubled Swiss club Sion,
already deducted 36 points for fielding ineligible players, were
fined on Monday for displaying political propaganda on their
shirts during a league match.
The Swiss Football League's disciplinary commission said it
had fined the club 25,000 Swiss francs ($27,686) for a
"violation of the rules concerning publicity on team shirts."
Sion had previously been fined 20,000 Swiss francs for the
same offence.
The SFL said in the match against FC Zurich on March 3,
Sion's shirts had displayed the message "Solidarity between
cantons", having used the slogan "Tourism equals jobs" in a
previous game in February.
Both messages appeared to be a reference to a referendum
held on March 11 in which Swiss voters narrowly approved a
proposal from an environmental group to limit the building of
holiday homes, seen by many as a blight in Alpine villages.
Sion were kicked out of the Europa League this season for
fielding players they had signed while subject to a transfer ban
in July and August last year.
The club's volatile president Christian Constantin took the
case to a civil court, defying FIFA and UEFA statutes, and
Switzerland was threatened with an international ban unless
action was taken against Sion.
Having lost their case, Sion were deducted 36 points and are
now bottom of the league.