NYON, Switzerland (AP)

Italian soccer star Antonio Cassano has been fined for his
comments about gay players at the European Championship.

European soccer’s governing body says Friday it fined him
$18,250 for his ”discriminatory press statement” at an official
media event in Poland last month.

Cassano said at the time he hoped there were no homosexual
players on the Italian national team. He then used a derogatory
word to describe gays.

When a reporter suggested there were gays on the team, Cassano
appeared at a loss for words before saying, ”That’s their problem,
but I hope not.”

Cassano can appeal the decision by UEFA.

This article originally appeared on: http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/soccer/story/Italys-Cassano-fined-for-gay-slur-at-Euro-2012-91893821