European football governing body UEFA has launched disciplinary proceedings against Serbian club Red Star Belgrade after supporters displayed a banner honoring convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic during a match against Czech side Viktoria Plzen.
Red Star supporters raised the tribute banner during the UEFA Europa League play-off fixture following the announcement of Mladic's death at age 84 last week. The banner expressed eternal glory to the general and offered him their thanks.
Red Star further worsened its disciplinary position with European football authorities when the club uploaded a photograph of the fan banner to its official social media accounts. UEFA confirmed that formal proceedings had commenced and stated that it will soon announce the penalty to be imposed on the Serbian team.
Conviction for genocide
Mladic, who was dubbed the butcher of Bosnia, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague. The United Nations court convicted the former military commander of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide over his actions during the war in Yugoslavia.
His convictions centered on the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, in which 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed in eastern Bosnia. News of his death provoked varied emotions across the region due to his wartime conduct, while bringing grief to supporters of Red Star.
Governing body rules and context
Red Star Belgrade, known officially as FK Crvena zvezda, is based in the Serbian capital and competes regularly in international tournaments organized by UEFA. The European governing body enforces strict disciplinary rules prohibiting political banners, provocative slogans, and unauthorized displays inside stadiums.
The play-off match against Viktoria Plzen, a club based in the Czech Republic city of Plzen, formed part of the qualification stage for the Europa League, UEFA's secondary European club competition. UEFA is reviewing the case and will soon announce the sanctions to be imposed on the Serbian club.
