European football governing body UEFA has fined Polish clubs Lech Poznan and GKS Katowice following disciplinary violations in continental competition matches.
Lech Poznan received the harsher penalty from UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, taking a total fine of 25,000 euros alongside a suspended away fan ban.
The Polish champions were fined 15,000 euros for racist and discriminatory behavior during their Europa League opening fixture against English side Crystal Palace on September 17. UEFA also imposed a ban on selling tickets to Lech supporters for their next away match in European competitions, though this sanction has been suspended for two years.
The governing body added a further 10,000 euro fine for the use of pyrotechnics during the same match, bringing the total financial penalty for the Poznan club to 25,000 euros.
The disciplinary action made the trip to England even more bitter for the Polish champions, who suffered a 0-4 defeat against Crystal Palace. Nightmare defensive errors cost Poznan dearly in the match, frustrating a team that had earned its place in the Europa League in impressive fashion. The Europa League is an annual club competition organized by UEFA for top European football clubs.
Sanctions for GKS Katowice
UEFA also announced disciplinary measures against GKS Katowice stemming from their Conference League third round qualifying match against Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv on August 12.
The Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body fined Katowice 2,500 euros after charges were brought over the use of pyrotechnics by supporters. Fitness coach Jacek Rokosa was also given a one-match suspension for unsportsmanlike behavior during the match.
The sanctions follow an unhappy end to the European tie for the team managed by Rafal Gorak. Katowice had suffered a 2-0 defeat in the first leg before securing a 2-1 victory in the return fixture six days later, a result that failed to overturn the aggregate deficit and saw them eliminated from the Conference League.
The UEFA Conference League is the third tier of European club football, running alongside the Champions League and Europa League to give clubs across the continent international competition experience.
