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Bayern Munich takes legal action against UEFA corruption claims

Bayern Munich said late Wednesday they have started legal action against a senior member of European football's governing body UEFA over unsubstantiated allegations of corruption made in German magazine Stern.

Bayern Munich takes legal action against UEFA corruption claims
A file image of Peter Limacher. Photo: DPA

The complaint, filed in the Munich offices of the state prosecutor, is against UEFA’s head of their disciplinary service Peter Limacher and his colleague Robin Boksic.

According to Bayern, the pair made comments that were “totally untrue and slanderous” in an article to appear in Stern on Thursday.

“In the edition of Stern magazine, to be published on Thursday, we read that these two people have discredited the club and individuals in professional football,” read a statement issued by Bayern.

“Bayern Munich will do everything in its power to see that these people are made to account for their comments, and we have already taken appropriate measures.”

The Stern report outlines how Bayern Munich was wrongly suspected of throwing their UEFA Cup semi-final match against Zenit St Petersburg in May 2008 following comments made by a Russian gangster involved in a court case.

The article claims Boksic was the source of those allegations.

At that time, German prosecutors said they had no evidence to start an investigation.

According to Stern, the UEFA employees told a Spanish prosecutor and several journalists from the magazine they had evidence of corruption linked to Bayern, but never presented any proof.

Bayern said the UEFA officials “must be sanctioned heavily” and also called on UEFA President Michel Platini to look into the matter and make a statement.

AFP/ka

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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