UEFA has fined the Albanian and Serbian soccer federations €10,000 each on Wednesday for fans displaying nationalist banners at the Euro 2024 games.
Both federations were charged with “transmitting provocative messages not fit for a sports event” due to their responsibility for fan conduct at stadiums.
Albanian fans displayed a banner showing a map of their country with extended borders into neighboring territories during their 2-1 loss to Italy on Saturday in Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Serbian fans displayed a banner featuring the independent territory of Kosovo and the slogan “No Surrender” during their 1-0 loss to England in Gelsenkirchen.
A similar incident occurred at the 2022 World Cup when Serbian players were photographed with a comparable banner in their locker room before a match against Brazil.
UEFA also opened a separate investigation into alleged discrimination by Serbian fans after the Kosovo soccer federation filed a formal complaint.
In addition to the initial fines, the Albanian federation was fined an additional €27,375 ($29,400) for various infractions by their fans, including lighting flares and fireworks, throwing beer cups, and a pitch invasion.
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