Fracas in Turkey costs FA £4,400 Turkey game

The Football Association was left off lightly yesterday with a £4,400 fine for the half-time tunnel fracas during England's Euro 2004 qualifier against Turkey in Istanbul on 11 October. At the going rate, the FA could afford to pay Uefa, European football's governing body, for about 40 such incidents from the proceeds of the £175,000 fine it handed out to Arsenal for failing to control their players against Manchester United. Uefa's fine was hardly an exercise in severity.

The Turkish FA were handed a £13,500 fine for lack of order in the Sukru Saracoglu stadium, where missiles were thrown during the game. The Turkish FA was also cited, like England, for the "improper conduct" of its players, and additionally, for the behaviour of one of its security officers during the tunnel brawl.

Uefa's disciplinary committee reviewed video evidence of the incident and also dealt with the match reports of the referee, Pierluigi Collina, and the match observer, as well as taking statements from both FAs. No individual players were charged. Collina did not mention any specific players in his report.

Video pictures of the fracas did not show actual punches being thrown. After the mêlée, Collina called the England captain, David Beckham, and Turkey's Alpay Ozalan to his dressing-room and told them to calm down or else they would both be sent off.

In response to the punishment the FA said: "Sven Goran Eriksson will be speaking to senior players ahead of the next match against Denmark [on 16 November] to remind the squad of their responsibilities and the need to maintain their generally high standards of behaviour."