Roma apologise to Frisk but Kiev want the points
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-17 10:08

Italian club AS Roma made an official apology to referee Anders Frisk on Thursday after he was struck on the head by an object thrown from the stands during a Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev.

 The apology is unlikely to cut much ice with UEFA, however, who will meet next week to decide Roma's punishment.

Ukrainian officials have said they expect to be awarded all three points from the match, which they were leading 1-0 when the incident occurred as the teams left the pitch at halftime in Rome's Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

 Swede Frisk, who had sent off Roma defender Philippe Mexes for an off-the-ball foul moments earlier, abandoned the game saying the club could not guarantee his safety or that of his assistants.

 "I want to apologise officially to the referee, to whom we gave all possible medical attention," Roma's sporting director Franco Baldini said.

 Baldini denied that security at the Olympic Stadium had been lax.

 "There were 400 police plus 400 of our own employees on hand to make sure the match took place in the most correct way possible," he said.

 "We will give our full assistance to catch the person responsible."

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome has announced that it had opened a file on the incident but catching the culprit will prove difficult as many items were thrown at the officials.

 European soccer's governing body will meet next Tuesday to instigate disciplinary proceedings against Roma.

 "UEFA deplores the incident that occurred last night," UEFA said in a statement on Thursday.

 "We await the full details from both the referee's and the delegate's reports but it is clear that disciplinary proceedings will be instigated against AS Roma.

The incident had an immediate impact on Roma's share price, which dropped by 9.1 per cent to 0.686 euros during trading on Thursday.

 Ukraine football federation president Hryhoriy Surkis said he expected Kiev to be awarded the match.

 "I do not want to predict what will happen next...but I want to note that within the bounds of normal practice the following decision could be taken -- to disqualify Roma from playing at home and to say they lost the match."

 "Dynamo had the advantage," he said. "Their rivals were cavalier, cynical, impertinent and ignored the rules of fair play. By looking at the big picture we can say the guilt lies squarely at the door of the Roma players."

 A month ago, Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv were awarded a 3-0 win over PAOK after the Greek club fielded a suspended player in a Champions League third-round qualifier.

 In 2001, Paris St Germain were given a 3-0 win at Rapid Bucharest after their UEFA Cup tie had to be abandoned following a floodlight failure.



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