Red Star, Galatasaray Punished for Fan’s Murder

Euroleague's disciplinary judge has sanctioned both Serbia's Red Star and Turkey's Galatasaray for "the incidents generated by their fans and the failure to adopt measures to avoid disturbances" ahead of the match in Istanbul on November 21.

Marko Ivkovic, a 25-year-old Red Star fan, was stabbed in the heart during the violence that erupted in front of the stadium in Istanbul. Turkish police have arrested the suspected murderer.

Euroleague, Europe's highest-level professional club basketball competition, ruled that Galatasaray must play their next three home games in an empty stadium and pay a 100,000 euro fine, while Red Star must play their next home game behind closed doors and pay a 50,000 euro fine.

Both clubs can appeal against the penalties by December 19.

Serbia's state-run Tanjug news agency reported that before the game in Istanbul, Galatasaray fans attacked some 400 Red Star supporters who could not enter the venue because they could not buy tickets.

Following the violence and the death of Ivkovic, Serbian interior minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said that for the sake of good relations between the two countries, it was very important that the perpetrator was brought to justice as soon as possible "because it is in the interest of the Serbian public and the state".

Continue reading on: