Euroleague has punished Red Star and Partizan following widespread crowd trouble during their round seven basketball derby, which Red Star won 85-82.
The European basketball authority fined Red Star 115.00 euros and banned the club from organising fan travel for five away matches.
Partizan was hit with a 49,000 euro fine after spectators set off fireworks, directed lasers onto the court, threw objects, and invaded the playing floor.
Disciplinary rulings and safety violations
Euroleague announced the disciplinary measures after reviewing extensive disturbances that took place during the fiery Belgrade encounter. Disciplinary officials cited serious security failures that placed attendees and participants at risk.
Red Star received sanctions for incidents that endangered safety inside the arena during the round seven game. The league listed the use of laser pointers, the throwing of objects from the stands, offensive behaviour, and supporters invading the playing court.
Partizan faced penalties for similar misconduct by its supporters. Disciplinary judges fined the club after fans ignited pyrotechnics, used lasers, hurled missiles toward the court, and entered the playing area.
Belgrade derby rivalry in European basketball
The contest between Red Star and Partizan is known in Serbia as the Eternal Derby and ranks among the most hostile and fiercely contested rivalries in world sport. Both Belgrade clubs share a deep-seated crosstown rivalry that spans multiple disciplines, with basketball generating intense passion and capacity crowds.
The Euroleague is Europe's premier top-tier club basketball tournament, bringing together the continent's strongest teams across a gruelling regular season calendar. While the deafening atmospheres generated in Belgrade are renowned across the sport, European basketball authorities enforce strict rules against disorder to maintain safety standards.
Competition rules strictly prohibit the use of laser pointers, which spectators often shine at opposing players during free throws and key plays. Indoor pyrotechnics like flares and smoke bombs are also banned due to the severe health and fire hazards they create inside enclosed arenas.
Away fan travel ban and match outcome
The five-game away fan ban means Red Star supporters will not be permitted into visiting sections during the team's upcoming European road fixtures. Euroleague administrators regularly use away travel restrictions to lower security risks and prevent violent clashes between rival ultras groups in foreign cities.
On the court, the round seven meeting went down to the wire as Red Star secured an 85-82 win over their local rivals. The hard-fought victory on the court, however, was quickly overshadowed by the incidents in the stands and the heavy disciplinary action that followed.
