ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

LONDON (AP) — UEFA President Michel Platini is mulling whether to allow only women and children into matches rather than completely closing stadiums as punishment for supporters’ racist abuse.

CSKA Moscow’s Champions League match against Manchester City on Tuesday was played without paying fans, the first of three UEFA fixtures the Russian club must play behind closed doors over racism.

But City captain Vincent Kompany questioned why innocent away fans were also excluded from the stadium, while manager Manuel Pellegrini criticized the presence of CSKA fans in seats assigned for sponsors.

UEFA Chief of Press Pedro Pinto told The Associated Press on Tuesday he discussed with Platini “the possibility of inviting women and children for free instead of closing the stadium completely.”

That would emulate rules in Turkey to punish unruly fan behavior.

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