Atletico recieve tiny fine for racism

Atletico Madrid have been fined 600 euros for the racist chanting aimed at Real Madrid full-back Roberto Carlos during Sunday's Madrid derby.

The Spanish FA's Disciplinary Committee decided the incidents, which referee Alfonso Perez Burrull noted in his post-match report, were only a minor misdemeanour.

That conclusion was reached in spite of an 83rd-minute appeal by referee Perez Burrull to the club to put out an announcement on the stadium's PA system asking the fans to stop.

Burrull's request had the opposite effect on the Atletico fans and the shouting increased.

It is thought the punishment was lenient because the club made an effort to stop their fans aiming insults at Roberto Carlos.

The fine is exactly the same amount Albacete were fined before Christmas when Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o was racially abused in their Carlos Belmonte stadium.

Burrull was again the referee for that contest, but on that occasion Albacete refused his request to make an announcement on their PA.

Their fine was reduced to 300 euros on appeal, but the fans who did the chanting were singled out by other supporters and fined 6,000 euros each as well as receiving a five-month ban from attending sporting events.

Nevertheless, considering that the Spanish FA (RFEF) issued a statement condemning racism only on Monday, Atletico can consider they have got off lightly.

"We wish to repeat our condemnation of this kind of behaviour and repeat our promise to act with maximum firmness to eradicate any display of racism or xenophobia in Spanish football," said the statement.