(Reuters) – CONMEBOL has fined Argentine team Racing Club and Uruguay’s Nacional for racist behaviour by their fans during Copa Libertadores matches against Brazilian sides Flamengo and Internacional.
Racing were fined $100,000 by CONMEBOL after their fans made racist gestures towards fans of the opposing team during a 1-1 draw with Flamengo on May 4.
Brazilian media reported that Nacional fans waved bananas at Internacional players and imitated monkeys during the 2-2 draw in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre.
CONMEBOL said in its disciplinary report that objects thrown by Nacional fans during the match hit five supporters of the home team.
The governing body issued the same fine of $100,000 to Nacional for racist slurs and $10,000 for object-throwing.
The issue of racism in soccer surfaced in Spain on Sunday when Real Madrid’s Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr. reported racist slurs against him by fans during a La Liga game against Valencia.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City, editing by Ed Osmond)
