The British Football Association has asked international federation FIFA to launch an investigation into racist behaviours by Hungarian supporters during a Hungary-England World Cup qualifier played in Budapest on Thursday night.
After the match, which England won 4-0, the British players complained about being loudly booed when they took the knee as a gesture against racism before starting, and said that after each goal plastic cups and other objects were thrown into the field, while racist slogans were chanted. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Facebook that it was 鈥渃ompletely unacceptable that England football team players were racially abused in Hungary鈥� and called on FIFA to 鈥渢ake strong action against those responsible to ensure that this kind of disgraceful behaviour is eradicated from the game for good鈥�.
In response to the critical remarks, Hungarian Foreign Minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 posted on Facebook footage taken in London鈥檚 Wembley Stadium, in which British supporters are heard whistling during Italy鈥檚 national anthem. 鈥淲ere similar remarks made at that time?鈥� the minister asked.
FIFA rejected all forms of racism and violence in a statement, and pledged zero tolerance for such behaviours. The federation also pledged to take appropriate action once they received reports on the events. Hungarian association MLSZ said in a statement that 鈥渕ost of the 60,000 supporters stayed sportsmanlike even when the [Hungarian] team was losing鈥�. They said that the perpetrators were being identified and would be 鈥渟trictly punished鈥�. MLSZ also said that it would sue the perpetrators for compensation should the federation be fined, and they would be banned from sporting events for two years.
European federation UEFA condemned Hungarian fans for 鈥渄iscriminative behaviours鈥� in July and ruled that the Hungarian team should play three European matches behind closed doors, with one of them suspended for two years.
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