The interim verdict of the UEFA investigator on claims of racial abuse from Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela points toward a bitterly disappointing outcome for Glen Kamara and Rangers.
It must be stressed that the final decision is still to be made by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body.
This afternoon it has been revealed that as a precautionary, interim measure, Kudela will be banned for the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Arsenal in London, whilst disciplinary proceedings will also be opened against Glen Kamara for an alleged tunnel incident.
UEFA has provisionally suspended Slavia Prague's Ondrej Kudela for one match as it begins disciplinary proceedings against him and Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 6, 2021
Crucially, the UEFA statement declared:
“Following an investigation conducted by a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector regarding the incidents that occurred during the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg match between Rangers FC and SK Slavia Praha on 18 March 2021, proceedings have been opened against Mr Ondrej Kudela in order for the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) to assess a potential violation of Article 14(1) or Article 15(1)(a)(iv) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) and against Mr Glen Kamara in order for the CEDB to assess a potential violation of Article 15(1)(g) DR.”
“In accordance with Article 49 DR, the CEDB today decided to provisionally suspend Mr Ondrej Kudela for the next (1) UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible for the prima facie violation of Article 15(1)(a)(iv) DR, without prejudice to any ruling that the CEDB may subsequently make on the alleged violation of Article 14(1) DR.”
“Further information about this case will be made available once the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has taken a decision in due course,” as reported by Sky Sports.
Response
Unsurprisingly, Slavia Prague have been extremely quick to comment.
They are clearly positioning themselves behind the covered mouth of Kudela.
Their statement included the following key remarks:
“The verbal incident on the pitch between Ondřej Kúdela and Glen Kamara remains at the assertion level.”
“The UEFA Inspector has concluded that “in the absence of compelling evidence to determine the content of the remark made by Mr. Kúdela, the undersigned EDI (ethics and disciplinary investigator) is not in a position to confirm or contradict Mr. Kamara’s or Mr. Zungu’s account of events.”
Now, it remains to be seen what the final response of UEFA is.
Will the CED committee overrule and decide one way or another, unanimously or will they look to save face with a lack of cast-iron proof of what was said on the pitch?
A terrible injustice will be presided over if the outcome is a similar punishment for the two players over different incidents on the night.
With the investigators report now on the desk of the CED body, a final decision should not be too far away.
VitalRangers will have you covered, as further information emerges.