UEFA Bans Benfica Player Gianluca Prestianni for Six Matches Over Homophobic Conduct

UEFA has banned Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni for six matches after finding him guilty of homophobic conduct toward Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League knockout play-off round match in Lisbon on February 17. Three of the six matches are suspended for a two-year period, and the ban includes the one match Prestianni served as a provisional suspension in February.

Unless he triggers the suspended portion, Prestianni will miss two further games.

Vinicius Jr alleged racial abuse during the match, but UEFA's investigation concluded that Prestianni’s conduct was homophobic rather than racist. Prestianni told UEFA in February that he had used a homophobic slur rather than a racist one. The incident prompted Vinicius Jr to leave the field and refuse to return, causing a 10-minute stoppage in play.

UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator following the match. UEFA has requested that FIFA extend Prestianni's ban worldwide. The organization has not published the reasoning of its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Board in reaching the sanction, according to The Independent.

Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations states that any entity or person who insults the human dignity of a person or group on grounds including skin colour, race, religion, ethnic origin, gender or sexual orientation incurs a suspension of at least 10 matches or another appropriate sanction.

The International Football Association Board is set to meet in Canada next week ahead of FIFA Congress. FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated last month that a red card should result if a player covers his mouth and says something with a racist consequence.

Infantino told Sky News: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously.