Czech soccer player fined for Nazi salute

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Published: 09/07/2007

A Czech soccer player was fined about $10,000 for raising his arm in a gesture officials said was a Nazi salute.

The disciplinary panel of the Czech Soccer Association concluded Sept. 6 that when making the salute  during a match in late August, Pavel Horvath, a member of the first league soccer team Sparta, “probably thought that he would entertain the fans, who most probably include extremism followers, and that they will be calmer.”

The maximum fine would have beena bout $25,000. Horvath maintains he was trying to calm overexcited fans and never intended to make a racist or Nazi gesture.

Sparta fans are frequently singled out by critics for shouting “Jude, Jude” -- "Jew, Jew" in German -- at opposing teams.

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