UEFA punishes Rangers over fans' sectarian songs

Scottish champion Rangers avoided a stadium closure for home European matches next season, though its fans were banned on Thursday from attending one away game because of their sectarian songs.

UEFA's disciplinary committee found Rangers guilty of discriminatory behavior and ordered a travel ban for one European competition match, with a further one-match ban suspended for three years.

UEFA also deferred a one-match stadium closure for a probationary period of three years.

Rangers had been warned by UEFA to expect a sanction of two closed-door matches at its 50,000-capacity Ibrox stadium.

Instead, the European football authority gave the club another chance to curb its persistent problem of fans chanting songs rooted in religious bigotry.

''The club put its own case very forcibly to UEFA and the more draconian sanctions that were recommended by the disciplinary inspector have been mitigated to a degree,'' Rangers chief executive Martin Bain said in a statement.

Bain said Rangers would consider appealing the punishment, and a fine of ?80,000 ($118,400). A stadium closure for a Champions League or Europa League match likely would have cost the club more than 1 million pounds in lost match day revenue.

UEFA investigated incidents at both matches of Rangers' Europa League last-16 clash with PSV Eindhoven last month, though the Dutch club was not targeted for abuse.

Rangers fans' songs relate to its shared Irish history with Glasgow rival Celtic. Rangers is traditionally supported by the Protestant community and Celtic is followed by the city's Catholic community.

UEFA rules forbid insulting people on religious grounds at matches it organizes, and its president Michel Platini has promised a zero-tolerance crackdown on discrimination and violence.

Platini told officials from UEFA's 53 member nations last month that ''there is no place in football for those who transform ... pride into sectarianism.''

Rangers has regularly faced UEFA charges in recent seasons because of its fans' behavior, but tried to show it had worked to tackle the problems.

''We condemn sectarianism and there is no doubt the mindless behavior of an element of our support has exposed the club to a very serious situation,'' Bain said. ''The people who engage in this type of behavior are damaging the club they claim to support.''

The club argued that the case brought Thursday was due to a targeted campaign by international fan group Football Against Racism in Europe.