UEFA open disciplinary proceedings against AS Roma after racist chanting directed at Chelsea’s Antonio Rüdiger

It went largely unremarked-upon at the time — even as many fans heard it clearly through their television sets — but after video evidence emerged of the away section at Stamford Bridge directing racist “monkey chants” at Antonio Rüdiger, UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against AS Roma.

Disciplinary proceedings have been opened following the UEFA Champions League group stage match between Chelsea FC and AS Roma (3-3), played on 18 October in England.

Charges against AS Roma:

- Racist behaviour (monkey chants) - Art. 14 of the Disciplinary Regulations

This case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on 16 November.

-source: UEFA

As welcome as the decision to pursue disciplinary action is, the decision to not deal with it until November 16 as per standard procedure is a bit strange considering that Chelsea go to play Roma in Italy in about ten days. An already hostile environment has just been made extra poisonous.

UEFA have promised to crack down on racial abuse in football, and have handed out stadium bans to Hajduk Split and FK Partizan already this season, with Spartak Moscow likely to follow as well. If found guilty — and the video makes it pretty clear that they are guilty — similar punishment should be expected for AS Roma as well.