Ferencváros punished for Debrecen riot
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Article summary
Ferencvárosi TC have been fined heavily and ordered to play home games behind closed doors until 2004.
Article body
League action
The club's chief executive officer Jozsef Szeiler was also fined €12,000 as the Football League's disciplinary body handed out one of the toughest penalties seen in Hungary, which does not have a long history of football violence.
On the rampage
Dozens of angry fans rampaged at the end of Ferencváros's final league game of the season against Debreceni VSC on 30 May - a goalless draw which allowed Budapest rivals MTK Hungária FC to clinch the championship. Ferencváros finished runners-up after MTK won 1-0 at Újpesti TE on the same day.
Under attack
Supporters kicked and punched the Debrecen coach, players, stewards and the media. They then turned on some of their own players who had tried to intervene. Two Ferencváros players - striker Attila Tököli and goalkeeper Lajos Szücs - later pulled out of Hungary's national squad. Both said they were in no frame of mind to play and invited offers from foreign clubs.
Stadium ban
The disciplinary body said the general public would be barred from watching Ferencváros home games at the Ülloi úti stadium until next year. Ferencváros fans will only be allowed at the club's away games if they have an official identification pass.
