UEFA President Michel Platini said Friday that there will be "no European football matches in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region until the situation there 'normalizes,'" according to R-SPORT. UEFA ruled in June that "last year's suspension on continental action anywhere in the group of seven southern provinces" should continue into '13-14 for "security reasons." Platini: "When the situation normalizes, we will re-examine our decision not to play there. Everything depends on security. We must protect all participants of football matches. If the situation doesn't change, we will not go there" (R-SPORT, 11/15). R-SPORT reported in a separate piece Platini said that he is "against punishing clubs for racist acts by their fans, even though his organization often does so." UEFA punished CSKA Moscow for "racism in the stands last month, although it has faced criticism because the fines levied are typically lower than for offenses such as illegal advertising." Platini said, "You can’t punish players, officials, clubs for something that they didn't do. You have to punish the spectators" (R-SPORT, 11/15).
