"Turkey welcomes reduced FIFA punishment over Swiss brawl
Sun Jun 25, 2006 2:15 PM GMT172
By Daren Butler
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has welcomed a FIFA decision to halve its punishment for violence at a World Cup qualifier against Switzerland which boosts its chances of reaching the 2008 European championship.
FIFA ruled Turkey must play its next three home competitive matches behind closed doors on neutral territory after players and officials brawled at the game last November in Istanbul.
The original sanction, imposed in February, covered six matches.
Turkey will now be able to play qualifying matches against Hungary, Bosnia and Greece in front of its fans in Turkey, providing there is no trouble in the run-up games.
"Great news for Turkey," said the headline in the sports newspaper Fotomac. "Victory," said a Fanatik daily headline."
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