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UEFA suspended Albanian player Mirlind Daku on Sunday for two matches at Euro 2024 after provoking nationalist chants among fans.
European football’s governing body issued a statement confirming that Daku was banned “for using sporting events for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute.”
Daku grabbed a megaphone after Albania’s 2-2 draw with Croatia on Wednesday in Hamburg and joined in chanting slogans against Serbia and North Macedonia.
He led chants with his fans that translated as: ‘Fuck Macedonia!’ and ‘Damn Serbs!’
Daku issued a statement admitting that he may have caused offence, but seemed to stop short of fully apologizing.
UEFA sanctioned Mirlind Daku with a two-match suspension for chanting that included ‘fucking Serbs’
Daku issued a lengthy statement on social media before UEFA imposed a two-match ban.
UEFA issued a statement confirming that Daku has been suspended for two matches for “failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for non-sporting events and for bringing the sport of football closer to discredit.”
The Macedonian Federation had confirmed that it would contact UEFA over Daku’s actions, while opposing the “nationalist chant” involving Daku.
The forward’s actions were also cited by the Serbian Federation in a letter to UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis, which formally requested the governing body to sanction Albania and Croatia.
UEFA has confirmed that it has Fined the Albanian Football Federation a total of €47,500 (£40,000) due to incidents in the match.
This included setting off fireworks, an invasion of the field and “transmitting provocative messages not suitable for a sporting event.”
The Croatian Federation has also been fined €28,000 (£23,600) for launching and lighting fireworks.
UEFA’s investigation into chants by Albanian and Croatian fans is ongoing.
During the match both groups of fans were heard shouting ‘Kill the Serbs!’, prompting the Serbian football federation to say it would abandon the tournament if UEFA did not punish the incidents.
UEFA is continuing its investigation after fans from Albania and Croatia were reportedly heard chanting “Kill the Serbs” during their match in Hamburg.
UEFA has already accused the Serbian Federation of two crimes after its defeat against England on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen: the throwing of objects and the transmission of a provocative message “not suitable for a sporting event.”
The latter is understood to relate to the display of a flag linked to a paramilitary movement that engaged in ethnic cleansing during the Yugoslav wars.
The governing body also launched an investigation into allegations that the England players made monkey noises during the clash.
An inspector has been appointed to carry out a disciplinary investigation “into alleged discriminatory behaviour”, although a resolution is not expected until after the group stage.
Serbia could see more action after their fans threw bottles onto the pitch during their 1-1 draw against Slovenia on Thursday.
Albania plays its final Group B match on Monday against Spain, a match that could prove decisive for second place in the group.
