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- UEFA charges Israeli and Polish clubs over political fan banners that raised diplomatic tension</p>
<p>August 16, 2025 at 12:01 AM</p>
<p>1 / 2APTOPIX Italy Soccer UEFA Super CupThe players line up before the UEFA Super Cup soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur in Udine, Italy, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)</p>
<p>NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA opened a disciplinary case Friday after an Israeli soccer club's fans displayed a banner targeting Poland that was criticized by the Polish president and diplomats from Israel.</p>
<p>Fallout from the Maccabi Haifa vs. Rakow Czestochowa game Thursday in UEFA's Conference League adds to current scrutiny around non-sporting issues being aired at international soccer.</p>
<p>The slogan "Murderers since 1939" in English was shown by Maccabi Haifa fans at a qualifying game in UEFA's Conference League against Polish team Rakow. It was quickly condemned by the president of Poland and Israel's embassy in the country.</p>
<p>Polish President Karol Nawrocki posted on X the banner was "scandalous" and an insult to Polish victims of World War Two including three million Jews.</p>
<p>Maccabi Haifa and Rakow played the game in neutral Hungary — instead of Israel for security reasons — one week after the first leg in Poland. There, Rakow fans showed a banner in Polish saying Israel was murdering people and the world was silent.</p>
<p>UEFA said Friday both clubs have been charged with "transmitting a message not fit for a sports event" in a case that will be judged by its disciplinary panel.</p>
<p>No timetable was given for imposing sanctions which could be fines and closing part of a stadium at a future game. Rakow won 2-0 Thursday and eliminated Maccabi Haifa 2-1 on aggregate score.</p>
<p>The Polish government's foreign ministry said Friday it had spoken with Israel's ambassador to the country, Yaakov Finkelstein.</p>
<p>"He expressed his utmost outrage at the scandalous content of a banner displayed by the Israeli fans and thanked for its firm condemnation by the embassy," the Polish ministry said in a statement.</p>
<p>Poland's ambassador in Israel also was set to discuss the incident with Israel's government, the ministry said, adding: "Polish-Israeli relations must not, and will not, be undermined by extremists."</p>
<p>UEFA does not allow overt political messaging by fans or clubs in stadiums at European competition games it organizes but was itself criticized this week.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, UEFA displayed the message "Stop Killing Children. Stop Killing Civilians" on the field before its showpiece Super Cup game between the Champion League title holder Paris Saint-Germain and Europa League winner Tottenham, played at Udine, Italy.</p>
<p>UEFA said it was part of a campaign with its charitable foundation that has projects helping children affected by conflicts also in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Ukraine.</p>
<p>When the PSG and Tottenham players were presented with their medals, the post-game ceremony involved two Palestinian children who are refugees in Italy from Gaza.</p>
<p>At the Champions League final played in Munich in May, PSG fans displayed a banner "Stop Genocide in Gaza" in English. UEFA did not punish the Qatari-owned French club for the display.</p>
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<p>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</p>
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