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Belarusian Soccer Club Penalized Over Fans' Racist Slurs

A November 25 soccer match between Belarusian club BATE and Portugal’s Porto will be held without Belarusian fans due to a racism scandal.

Europe's soccer governing body, UEFA, ruled last week that a section of the stadium in the Belarusian city of Barysau will be closed because fans there have shouted racist slurs during previous matches.

It is the first time a Belarusian soccer club has been punished for a racism-related issue.

UEFA's decision came after Luiz Adriano, a Brazilian striker for the Ukrainian club Shakhtar, said that Belarusian fans had insulted him with racist slurs during previous matches.

BATE is based in Barysau, in central Belarus.

With reporting by Belapan
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