Sparta Prague to ban fans from stadium for life after they photograph themselves wearing white hoods and giving the Nazi salute
The Czech football team AC Sparta Praha has condemned recent displays of racism undertaken by their fans. In cooperation with the police, the Prague club is now banning such fans from entering its stadium for life.
Police are addressing three offenses perpetrated by football fans related to last Wednesday’s match between AC Sparta Praha and Sigma Olomouc. As part of their security measures, police spotted a photograph apparently taken by a small group of Sparta fans ahead of the match next to the Mercury Fountain in Olomouc and posted to social media.
“Officers are intensively investigating the incident, ascertaining all the related circumstances and, after assessing the findings, will determine their legal qualification,” a spokesperson said. The snapshot shows 11 men wearing white hoods, some of whom are raising their right arms in Nazi salutes.
The team, which is fourth in the first league table, responded strongly to the photograph. “AC Sparta Praha condemns such displays of racism, antisemitism, and hateful behavior in all its forms, whether undertaken inside or outside of the stadium, in society, or among our fans. Such unacceptable attitudes directly contradict the values this club has long advocated,” reads their statement.
The photograph from Olomouc is already being investigated by police and Sparta is cooperating with them on identifying the persons in it. They are also investigating a KKK banner that appeared in the stands of the Letná stadium during the match with Plzeň, probably a reference to the Ku Klux Klan, an American organization of racists who believe in white “supremacy”.
“Sparta will fully cooperate with the Police of the Czech Republic, just as it is doing in the case of the KKK banner that was hung during the cup match with Plzeň, and will take all possible legal steps to identify the persons captured in the photograph taken in Olomouc on Wednesday, 14 May. After the police identify those persons and present their data to Sparta, the club will ban them for life from the stadium,” Sparta said in its statement.
“The club is also intensifying its measures, both preventive and repressive, in relation to this unacceptable type of behavior. Ahead of the beginning of the current season the club did not renew the season ticket held by a fan who wore extremist symbols on the team jersey, banned the printing of jerseys with the number 88 through its official fan shop, and is screening a video before each home game featuring Costa Nhamoinesu to remind spectators that there is zero tolerance for racism here,” reads the club’s statement.
