FIFA punishes Hungary for anti-Semitic incident

FIFA, world soccer's governing body, sanctioned Hungary to play the next World Cup qualifying match on home ground behind closed doors. The disciplinary action came after racist abuses by Hungarian fans at a recent match against Israel.

Following the friendly match between Hungary and Israel, played on August 15, 2012 in Budapest, a group of supporters had chanted anti-Semitic chants, and displayed other offensive symbols. FIFA was notified of the abuse by FARE (Football Against Racism Europe), the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

The MLSZ "acknowledged and regretted" the behavior of a group of Hungarian supporters, FIFA said in a statement. The members of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee were "unanimous in condemning an abhorrent episode of racism, anti-Semitism, and of political provocative and aggressive nature perpetrated by supporters of the Hungarian national team."

According to the verdict by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Hungary’s next home match in the preliminary competition for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, the one against Romania scheduled for March 22, 2013 will have to be played without spectators. The Committee also decided to impose a fine of CHF 40,000 on the Hungarian Federation.

CNN said this was a "strong punishment", adding that it "could signal a change in FIFA's approach to tackling one of soccer's most ugly features, racism.

FIFA also imposed a similar one-match ban on the Bulgarian Football Federation (BFU) for racist abuse by a group of Bulgarian supporters against a black player of the Danish national side.