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Spartak Moscow Football Team Punished Over Racist Banner

Russian football team Spartak Moscow has been fined and its fans barred from two away games after the team lost its appeal against sanctions for a racist banner.

The Russian Football Union said Spartak fans displayed "a banner of discriminatory content with a racist symbol," specifically a Celtic cross, typically used in Russia as a symbol for white supremacist groups.

Spartak was fined 200,000 rubles ($3,700) over the incident, which took place during the team's 1-0 Russian Premier League loss to Arsenal Tula earlier this month, and admission to Spartak's fan sector for its next two away games was restricted to women and children.

The team appealed, but that appeal was rejected Tuesday, the Russian Football Union said.

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