NYON: European federation has decided against taking any action against Leonid Mironov, the Spartak Moscow player alleged to have made a racist comment to Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster in a Youth League group match on December 6.

Liverpool won the game 2-0 but Brewster later complained that, after he had been felled by a foul tackle, Mironov had insulted him in gross and racist terms.

UEFA commissioned a disciplinary inquiry which questioned five players of both teams as well as two match officials. Mironov admitted swearing at Brewster but denied using racist language.

A UEFA statement said: “After concluding his investigation, the inspector found no evidence to corroborate the allegations, which he believed were made in complete good faith by the Liverpool player Rhian Brewster.

“Therefore, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, following the recommendation of the inspector, established that there was no evidence that would legally support sanctioning the FC Spartak Moskva youth player Leonid Mironov and thus decided to close the disciplinary proceedings.”

UEFA insisted that it remained “committed to eradicating racism from football, and treats all reports of discrimination and racism extremely seriously” but added that “disciplinary sanctions can only be imposed when there is sufficient concrete proof available.”

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