Zenit St Petersburg fined
Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg have been fined $10,000 (£6,130) for a racist incident involving former Brazil full-back Roberto Carlos last month.
A fan was seen offering a banana to the Anzhi Makhachkala captain at St Petersburg’s Petrovsky stadium before Zenit’s first home game of the season.
The Russian Football Union’s (RFU) disciplinary committee found Zenit guilty of “a racist insult and disorderly conduct”.
The committee also fined Dynamo Moscow 300,000 roubles after their fans rioted during Saturday’s league match at Volga Nizhny Novgorod. Volga were fined 200,000 roubles.
It was the latest in a series of soccer-related incidents in Russia which will host the 2018 World Cup.
Violence and ethnic tension was on the agenda at a meeting by Russian government officials on Wednesday when Prime Minister Vladimir Putin urged the RFU to work with fan groups to ensure a peaceful tournament in 2018.
“We’ve promised FIFA, the world and sporting communities that Russia will hold the tournament under the principles of tolerance and goodwill,” Putin told officials responsible for organising the 2018 event. “And these basic principles must be followed without any doubt or compromise.”
From Eurosport.com