UEFA finds itself embroiled in yet more controversy after charging Croatia with a smaller fine (for their fans' racist conduct against Italian striker Mario Balotelli) than the one they levied on Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner (for displaying a pair of sponsored underwear).

The Croatian Football Federation was slapped with a fine of €80,000 (approximately £64,000) after a number of fans were found guilty of racially abusing the Manchester City striker during the two teams' clash in Poznan on Thursday. Apart from the verbal abuse, chants and sluts, the fans were also accused of throwing a banana on the pitch.

The fine is one of the highest ever imposed on a governing body for racism-related issues but it remains lower than the €100,000 (approximately £80,000) fine and one match ban given to Bendtner a day earlier.

Many believe Bendtner was given a harsher fine than his infringement warranted and questioned the judgment against Croatia, particularly since it seems the fine included a punishment for an earlier count of inappropriate behaviour by fans - they were found guilty of lighting and throwing fire crackers on the pitch, for the second time. In either case, this is the third time Croatia have been fined on grounds on racist abuse by fans. The earlier infringements were punished by UEFA and FIFA in 2008 and UEFA president Michel Platini has admitted to being very disappointed with Croatian supporters.

"I'm not happy for Croatia. I was in Croatia a year ago and I'm not happy. They have a good team which plays well but it's unacceptable when you've got a hundred or so a*******s among the crowd," the Guardian quoted the Frenchman as saying.

Meanwhile, the German FA will also feel UEFA's wrath, also for the second time at the Euros, after fans reportedly waved neo-Nazi banners during the Group B clash against Denmark on Sunday. An anti-racism committee known as Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), which has been working with UEFA to monitor racism in the crowd at the 2012 Euros, confirmed spotting the flags.

"FARE can confirm that one of our observers reported a neo-nazi banner in the German section at the match v Denmark in Lviv on Sunday," posted FARE, on their official Twitter account.

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