Turkey pay for Swiss brawl with stadium ban
Turkey pay for Swiss brawl with stadium ban
FIFA also fined the Turkish federation $154,000 over the incidents which marred the match in Istanbul last November.

Zurich: FIFA disciplinary committee on Tuesday delivered its punishment to Turkey over a brawl during their World Cup qualifier against Switzerland, ordering them to play their next six home games behind closed doors at a neutral venue.

World football's governing body also fined the Turkish federation $154,000 over the incidents which marred the match in Istanbul last November.

The disciplinary committee on Monday had kicked off a final two-day meeting on the violent incidents after the Turkey-Switzerland World Cup qualifier in Istanbul last November.

The match on November 16 last year was marred after the final whistle by fighting involving players and officials that spilled over into the tunnel and dressing room area, leaving one Swiss player injured.

There have also been allegations of harassment against the Swiss side once they set foot in Turkey.

Turkey won the game 4-2, but failed to qualify for the World Cup finals on the away goals rule, having lost the first leg 2-0 in Bern.

FIFA's probe into ethics, disciplinary and security violations has dragged on through several hearings of some 30 witnesses and people involved in the incidents, amid warnings of tough sanctions.

On Monday the committee considered the cases of three Turkish players -- Alpay Ozalan, Emre Belozoglu and Serkan Balci -- as well as assistant coach Mehmet Ozdilek, and Switzerland's physiotherapist Stephan Meyer and midfielder Benjamin Huggel.

In an initial outburst, FIFA president Sepp Blatter -- who is Swiss -- had threatened to ban Turkey from the 2010 World Cup, but he is not involved in the disciplinary proceeding under the body's regulations.

The other committee members are Horace Burrell (Jamaica), Lars-Ake Lagrell (Sweden), Alfredo Hawit Banegas (Honduras) and Omari Selemani (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Any of the sides involved can appeal against the eventual verdicts to FIFA's appeals committee, and subsequently take the case to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if they still have objections.

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