ROME (AP) - Lazio was fined 50,000 euros ($63,000) by the Italian soccer federation on Thursday because of the anti-Semitism displayed by the team’s fans.
After a victory over Cagliari on Oct. 22, Lazio fans littered the Stadio Olimpico in Rome with images of Anne Frank - the young diarist who died in the Holocaust - wearing a jersey of city rival Roma.
The FIGC prosecutor had requested the fine and that Lazio be forced to play two matches behind closed doors, but the club argued it had taken all reasonable steps to prevent the incident and that it was only a small number of fans who carried it out.
The federation said it would be unfair to punish all of Lazio’s fans for the actions of only 20 people.
There was worldwide outrage after the incident and a criminal investigation was opened.
A passage from Frank’s diary was read out at all soccer matches in Italy the following week, while there was also a minute’s silence before they kicked off to promote Holocaust remembrance.
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