Zenit escape with small fine for racist chanting
Reuters - Wednesday 11 April 2012, 14:53
Russian champions Zenit St
Petersburg were fined a mere $3,400 on Wednesday for racist
chanting by their fans during last week's Premier League game at
Lokomotiv Moscow.
St Petersburg fans made monkey noises at Lokomotiv's black
players during Saturday's match, which Zenit won 1-0 to
virtually seal their second consecutive Russian league title.
They lead CSKA Moscow by 11 points with six games remaining.
Zenit's fine was small compared to the $17,000 imposed on
Spartak Moscow's Nigeria international Emmanuel Emenike last
month for an offensive gesture he made towards Dynamo Moscow
fans who racially abused him during a match.
Emenike also received a suspended sentence until the end of
the season. Spartak have appealed the striker's fine.
The Zenit case was the latest in a series of racist
incidents in Russian football.
In March, a banana was thrown at Anzhi Makhachkala's
Congolese defender Christopher Samba in a match at Lokomotiv
Moscow. Another Anzhi player, Brazilian full back Roberto
Carlos, had bananas thrown at him at stadiums in St Petersburg
and Samara last year.
In a separate incident, Zenit striker Alexander Kerzhakov
escaped punishment following his collision with Spartak
goalkeeper Andriy Dykan last month, which left the Ukraine
international with broken bones in his face and a concussion.
"After thoroughly examining the video, the disciplinary
committee (KDK) had felt Kerzhakov should not face any sanctions
because he didn't have any intent to injure his opponent," KDK
head Vladimir Katkov told reporters.
Spartak coach Valery Karpin said the club would appeal the
Kerzhakov decision.
Dykan had successful surgery in Germany on Wednesday,
Spartak said on their website. He will miss
the rest of the season.