Europe‘s apex football governing body, UEFA, has come down heavily on Montenegro as the Balkan nation have been ordered to play their next European competition match behind closed doors. The UEFA embargo came as part of sanctions handed out for the racist behavior of their supporters during a match against England last month.

In a shocking display of racism, England defender Danny Rose was subjected to monkey chants while Raheem Sterling, who scored England's final goal in the 5-1 victory, was also targeted.

Racist abuses were heard throughout the game, played in Podgorica on March 25.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has expressed his dismay over recent incidents of racial abuse in football and said, “I think racism in football – I mean I've been noticing and reading and hearing about it coming back into football – this is really shocking to me. Because we thought not that we had got rid of it, but we thought it had become completely beyond the pale for people to engage in it. And yet now it's back.”

"So I think that's something to watch. But as you can see by the collection of people here tonight, the overwhelming majority of people believe in a society without prejudice, without bigotry and treating people equally whatever their color, their ethnicity, their race, their nation, their culture," the former Labour Party leader added.

The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body announced on Friday that Montenegro would have to shut their stadium for their next match as well as have to put up a banner with the slogan "#EqualGame" and the UEFA logo on it.

Meanwhile, Montenegro's Football Association has also been fined 20,000 euros for other charges including the setting off of fireworks and throwing of objects into the ground. 

(Top image via VCG: Danny Rose's England win the Euro 2020 qualifier 5-1 in Podgorica, but the match is overshadowed by racist chanting aimed at several players.)

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