Popular pundit Micah Richards has defended Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara - and insists UEFA's call to sanction the Finn was a "joke".
Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela was found guilty by the governing body of targeting Kamara with sickening racial abuse in last month's Europa League tie and copped the minimum sanction of a 10-match ban.
But the Ibrox star was also handed a three-game suspension for an altercation with Kudela after the match, while Kemar Roofe was given four matches for a tackle on Slavia keeper Ondrej Kolar.
Former Manchester City full-back Richards is known for his affable nature on TV and his on-air partnership with Roy Keane but is also never afraid to call out issues of racism and social injustice.
So he was disgusted to learn of UEFA's solution.
He reckons Kamara's punishment should have never been handed out while insisting Kudela's "sinister" actions deserved harsher treatment.
Richards wrote in his Daily Mail column: "I'm not suggesting (UEFA president Aleksander) Ceferin is racist. But his organisation's track record in tackling the issues that matter has been dreadful.
"Whenever racism has been involved, UEFA have failed to follow through with meaningful action.
"They can argue that they are being pro-active in the fight but I will never forget that this is the organisation that fined Nicklas Bendtner £80,000 for showing a bookmaker's branding on his boxer shorts at Euro 2012 but only fined Serbia £65,000 when England's Under 21 players were racially abused that same year.
"Look at what happened this month with the Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela and Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara. UEFA thought 10 games was a sufficient ban for Kudela - 10 games? It was one of the most sinister examples of racism I have seen, sliding up to Kamara and whispering in his ear.
"Kamara ended up with a three-match suspension for an incident that happened afterwards in the tunnel. So when this young lad goes through one of the worst experiences he has endured on a football pitch and wants to defend himself, UEFA still want to punish him.
"What an absolute joke that is.
"Two wrongs don't make a right but if Ceferin - who people say is a good guy - had five per cent of the passion when challenging racism as he had when taking on those clubs who had plotted against UEFA, the sport would be in a better place.
"UEFA also threatened players that they would be banned from playing for their country at this summer's Euros if their club was among the European Super League rebels.
"Just think about that for a minute. Players who had done absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever were going to be punished because UEFA were panicking about the impact on their finances.
"That made me so angry - how can money mean so much to these people?"
