NYON, Switzerland — Slavia Prague defender Ondřej Kúdela was banned for 10 games by UEFA on Wednesday for racially abusing a Black opponent in the Europa League.
UEFA said the ban would apply to “club and representative team competition matches.” Ten games is the minimum ban for racial abuse in UEFA’s disciplinary code.
Kúdela is set to miss the rest of Slavia’s Europa League campaign and the Czech Republic’s games at the European Championship.
Kúdela, Slavia and likely the Czech soccer federation can appeal against the ban, first to UEFA and then the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Kúdela covered his mouth with both hands when he spoke into Rangers player Glen Kamara’s ear during a Europa League game in Glasgow last month. He denied Kamara’s accusation that he used racist language that another Rangers player also claimed to have heard.
UEFA also banned Kamara for three European club competition games next season for assaulting Kúdela after the game, which Slavia won 2-0.
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