BRUSSELS, Belgium \u2014 The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) told EWTN News that a 40,000-euro (about $46,000) fine on Serbian soccer club Red Star Belgrade was for a banner containing offensive language directed at the organization, not for a massive display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon, which drew international attention.<\/p>\n
The case follows a Europa League match between Red Star Belgrade and LOSC Lille (Lille Olympique Sporting Club) on Feb. 26, when UEFA\u2019s Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body imposed multiple fines on the Serbian club totaling 95,500 euros (about $110,000). These included a 40,000-euro penalty for transmitting a message deemed not fit for a sports event and bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute.<\/p>\n
The sanction drew political attention after reports suggested it may have been connected to a stadium display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon alongside a religious message invoking faith and victory.<\/p>\n
In response to an inquiry from EWTN News, UEFA said the fine was linked to a banner containing the phrase \u201cF*** UEFA\u201d and not to the religious display. It added that there is no sanction related to the choreography itself.<\/p>\n
Greek member of European Parliament (MEP) Emmanouil Fragkos said the case raised broader concerns about the application of rules governing religious expression in European football.<\/p>\n
\u201cUEFA and all UEFAs must learn to be accountable to the football fans and all the real people,\u201d Fragkos told EWTN News, adding that he supports religion, tradition, and the right of people to speak freely. He also emphasized the need for greater awareness among supporters of their \u201ccollective power\u201d in shaping how such decisions are received.<\/p>\n
In a letter to Glenn Micallef, the European commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture, and sport, Fragkos said the case \u201craises serious concerns\u201d about UEFA\u2019s approach, questioning how \u201ca peaceful expression of faith and identity\u201d could be deemed inappropriate and calling for \u201cconsistent and transparent application\u201d of the rules governing messages displayed at matches.<\/p>\n
Reports had also pointed to a separate sanction involving LOSC Lille following its Europa League match against Aston Villa on March 12, where a banner depicting St. Joan of Arc was displayed. UEFA told EWTN News those claims were inaccurate, stating that any sanction in that case was related to insulting chants directed at an opposing goalkeeper and not to the imagery.<\/p>\n
The episode comes amid ongoing debates in Europe over the place of religious symbols in public life, including a case before the European Court of Human Rights, Union of Atheists v. Greece, concerning the display of Orthodox Christian icons in Greek courtrooms. The applicants argue that such imagery may affect perceptions of judicial neutrality and religious freedom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BRUSSELS, Belgium \u2014 The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) told EWTN News that a 40,000-euro (about $46,000) fine on Serbian soccer club Red Star Belgrade was for a banner containing offensive language directed at the organization, not for a massive display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon, which drew international attention. The case follows a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":43883,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"bron":[41],"class_list":["post-43882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nieuws","bron-cna"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls":{"medium":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/43882-european-soccer-body-says-red-star-fine-was-for-profanity-not-orthodox-icon-300x200.jpg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/43882-european-soccer-body-says-red-star-fine-was-for-profanity-not-orthodox-icon-150x150.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/43882-european-soccer-body-says-red-star-fine-was-for-profanity-not-orthodox-icon-768x512.jpg","Inhoud breed":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/43882-european-soccer-body-says-red-star-fine-was-for-profanity-not-orthodox-icon-860x574.jpg","echo_preview_image":"https:\/\/explorecatholic.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/43882-european-soccer-body-says-red-star-fine-was-for-profanity-not-orthodox-icon-219x146.jpg"},"appp_media":null,"yoast_head":"\n