CSKA Freed from Racism Blame

Sports | September 9, 2005, Friday // 00:00

UEFA has found CSKA Sofia not guilty on racism charges, after an incident during their hosting match with Liverpool.

Members of the UEFA appeals body were introduced to an amateur footage showing Liverpool's Djibril Cisse make an obscene gesture towards the Bulgarian fans.

The latter had been accused of making racist remarks. But the videotape proved that Cisse himself had started the provocation.

The August 10 match saw the guests victorious 3-1. But then CSKA won an almost miraculous 1-0 as a guest team at legendary Anfield Stadium, shocking the British football fans.

After the first match in Sofia, UK media drummed that the victory was overshadowed by the hooligan behaviour of the Bulgarian fans.

BBC Merseyside then sought comment from SNA Deputy Editor-in-Chief Petya Bondokova in a live broadcast.

"What the crowd did was silly, but I believe they didn't really have any racist motives," Ms. Bondokova told the radio station.

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