The Ukrainian FA have defended their decision to hand Shakhtar Donetsk's Taison a one-match ban following his reaction to racist abuse from Dynamo Kiev fans.Taison, 31, put his middle finger up to the cowardly Kiev fans abusing him, before booting the ball into in their direction.The referee issued the Brazilian a red card on the pitch, but it was expected that the Shakhtar forward would have any ban overturned.Sadly, that has not been the case and Igor Gryshchuk, secretary of control and disciplinary committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football, has made some pretty controversial comments on the issue.“Why it was important to hold the player accountable for such behaviour? Because the gesture... was also broadcast on TV," he said, per Independent.

“We understand that the player addressed it to the stalls only and to the fans who expressed certain emotions against him – but those who watched the game on TV, including the children, could not perceive the gesture in a proper way.

“In any case, this behaviour and reaction deserved a red card, referee did a right thing when he used it, in our opinion. That’s why the player had to be held accountable.”

The FIFPro players' union has condemned the decision from the Ukrainian FA, saying the decision simply plays into the hands of 'those who promote this kind of disgraceful behaviour'.

Gryshchuk fired back at FIFPro, saying: “Regular punishment for such an action, for such gestures is a three-match ban. But taking into account all circumstances of the case, all mitigating circumstances, addresses by our colleagues from the FIFPro and that this behaviour was provoked by fans’ racist chants, we used the mildest sanction.”

It's yet another sad tale of racist abuse going unpunished in European football.

If the sanctioning bodies across the continent cannot support the victims of such abuse, then where will it end?