Brann receives a new fine for “mafia” protest against UEFA – NRK Vestland

Last winter, Brann supporters shouted “Uefa mafia” during the women’s Champions League match against St. Pölten. It resulted in a fine of 5,000 euros from the European Football Association (Uefa).

It was also the start of a freedom of expression debate around Uefa, in which Norwegian football clubs have taken a central role.

Background: In the following home match against Barcelona in the Champions League, the Brann supporters protested against the fine.

In addition to shouting “Uefa mafia”, the supporters held up several flags with the inscription “Uefa Mafia”, as well as a large banner representing a fine.

Now Uefa has concluded that these statements in this match must also be punished.

Brann strongly disagrees with Uefa.

5000 euros

Again, the fine is 5,000 euros. The reason is that Brann fans have made offensive statements.

– Brann supports the supporters. The red line that Uefa believes has been crossed should be moved. This is well within freedom of expression, and Uefa should have a discussion with themselves about whether they should tolerate being called the Uefa Mafia, says Brann’s chairman Aslak Sverdrup.

Sverdrup says that they were notified a few days after the match about a possible breach of the regulations.

Brann has now asked for more information about what they have done which Uefa believes is punishable.

The fine was imposed by a single judge in Uefa’s control ethics and disciplinary body.

Brann’s women’s and men’s teams each have their own budget.

– This fine is half of the normal in men’s football. This will sting very much harder on the women’s side of Brann when the fine is so large. It is not acceptable, says Sverdrup.

Uefa: – Being systematically sanctioned

NRK has contacted Uefa about the decision. In an email they reply as follows:

“It should be emphasized that the use of the term “mafia” has long been considered, by Uefa’s disciplinary bodies, to be offensive and inappropriate for a sports event, and therefore it is a breach of Uefa’s disciplinary regulations.”

Furthermore, they point out that the use of the term is systematically sanctioned in their events, regardless of who it is aimed at.

At the beginning of April, Sverdrup wrote an open letter to Uefa in the British newspaper The Guardian. The post has received a great deal of international attention.

There he raised the dilemma of Uefa being both a court and an aggrieved party in the same case.

Earlier this week, Sverdrup, Brann’s supporter manager Erlend Vågane and football president Klaveness were in Switzerland to meet Uefa’s general secretary. Then the regulations on such expressions were on the agenda.

– Regardless of the outcome of this appeal case, I am motivated to see if and how this case can be used to create future change, Klaveness told NRK before the appeal was settled.

Brann hopes they can move Uefa

Sverdrup nevertheless experiences something positive about the fine and the discussion around it.

– We are very happy that we have had these rounds with Uefa. We feel that we have started a debate about where Uefa’s limit should be for such statements, and we feel as a club that we have taken an international role in this, says Sverdrup to NRK.

Sverdrup says Brann will organize an international gathering this summer, in which several major international clubs on the women’s side and Uefa will participate. The background is precisely the discussion about freedom of expression and supporter culture.

He further brags about the role Norway’s football president has taken.

– We greatly appreciate that our football president takes us to meet the management at UEFA, and feel that we are taken seriously by UEFA. We don’t agree on everything, but we agree that we will continue to work on this, says Sverdrup.

Leader of the Brann supporters’ club, Erlend Vågane, thanks the club for its support.

– We greatly appreciate the backing we have received from the club in this matter. They have really taken to defending freedom of expression, says Vågane.