FARE condemns reported proposals for fan segregation in Kiev

A reported plan to segregate black and white fans in Kiev to combat racism is “entirely wrong”, Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) has said.

Dynamo Kiev were charged by UEFA over alleged racist disturbances from a section of supporters during the Champions League draw with Chelsea earlier this month.

The director of the Olympic Stadium, Volodimir Spilchenko, is reported to have suggested that the idea of segregating black and white supporters could help to curb the risk of further such incidents, and is quoted as saying: “We are trying, maybe, to make a separate sector [for black fans] in order to avoid racism.”

FARE, who referred footage of the crowd trouble in the match to UEFA, has now voiced significant concern that Spilchenko’s alleged comments could be seen as making victims of racist abuse appear to be responsible for it.

In a statement to Omnisport, executive director Piara Powar said: “We deplore all acts of exclusion inside football stadiums and outside.

“This is a publicly owned stadium and therefore the responsibilities of those managing the stadium are clear. So it seems to us that to propose a solution that involves ethnic minorities being asked to sit in a different sector of the stadium to be entirely wrong.

“The solution is to enforce the law and rules and regulations of the stadium, and ensure that those involved in acts of discrimination are brought to justice, not to treat the victims of the attack as somehow responsible for it.”

Founded in 1999, FARE has received public backing from UEFA, FIFA and the European Commission in the past for its efforts to combat discrimination in European football.

UEFA’s disciplinary body is expected to make a decision on its investigation into the Kiev incident on Tuesday.