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Hungary fans banned from World Cup Qualifier after Wembley clashes

Hungary's fans will not be permitted to attend their final World Cup Qualifier away to Poland on ...



Hungary fans banned from World...
Soccer

Hungary fans banned from World Cup Qualifier after Wembley clashes

Hungary's fans will not be permitted to attend their final World Cup Qualifier away to Poland on November 15.

The ban comes following clashes with the police and stewards during their game against England at Wembley last month.

A section of the traveling support clashed with police officers and security personnel early in that game with footage of the disturbing scenes widely shared on social media at the time.

This was only the latest incident involving Magyar fans who previously had UEFA and FIFA inflicted stadium bans imposed upon them for their behaviour in Budapest.

In September FIFA's disciplinary committee ordered Hungary to play two home FIFA competition matches behind closed doors, with one suspended.

This ban was over racist abuse directed towards England players Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham during a qualifier in Budapest on September 2.

Now, a document published by FIFA on Monday has said supporters would be banned from one away match as a result of the improper conduct at Wembley, with the Hungarian federation also fined 75,000 Swiss francs (just over €70,000).

Hungarian supporters have also made a habit of booing and gesturing towards opposing teams that take the knee in the fight against racism.

Republic of Ireland players took a knee before their friendly with Hungary in Újpest in June.

Boos echoed around the stadium as they did this, an act Irish manager Stephen Kenny described as “incomprehensible” at the time.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban then backed these fans and accused the visiting players of “provoking” their hosts and failing to understand their culture.

“I am not in the least sympathetic to the kneeling - sport is about something else and there is no place on the field for that,” he said.

“If you’re a guest in a country then understand its culture and do not provoke it.

"We can only see this gesture system from our cultural vantage point as something unintelligible, as a provocation."

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