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Barca to appeal fine for Cup final whistles

Xinhua, July 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

FC Barcelona have confirmed they will appeal against the fine imposed against the club on Monday as a result of the booing and whistling of the Spanish national anthem ahead of the Spanish King's Cup final on May 30.

The club has described as "unjust and unacceptable" the fine of 66,000 euros (around 73,000 U.S. dollars) imposed after the vast majority of supporters in the Camp Nou Stadium for the game between Barca and Athletic Club Bilbao booed the anthem.

Athletic have been hit with an 18,000 euro fine by the Spanish Anti-Violence Committee, while the Spanish Football Federation, who organize the competition have been fined 123,000 euros and pro-Catalan independence group Catalonia Action, 100,000 euros after the Committee considered it to have instigated and promoted the booing.

Barca's fine is 6,000 euros for the booing of the national anthem, which was drowned out by the chorus of boos and whistles, while the remaining 60,000 is for supposed "deficiencies" in the organization of the game, which was held in Barca's stadium.

Around 60,000 Athletic Club supporters made the seven-hour trip to Barcelona for the game and there was not one incident of violence either before or after the match, which Barca won 3-1.

Athletic have not yet said whether or not they will appeal, but it is likely they will after midfielder Mikel San Jose (a Spain international) commented on Monday that rather than a fine, Athletic's supporters deserved "A prize" for their exemplary behavior on the day.

This fine comes less than a week after UEFA fined Barca 30,000 euros after supporters displayed pro-Catalan independence flags in this season's Champions League final. The club has also said it will appeal against that decision. Endi