Serbia has declared they will pull out of Euro 2024 if UEFA does not punish Croatia and Albania for alleged offensive chanting during their recent match. The controversy erupted after both sets of fans were accused of singing anti-Serbian songs during a 2-2 draw between Croatia and Albania in Hamburg. The Serbian FA responded with a stern statement, highlighting the behavior of an Albanian journalist.
Serbian FA’s Demands for Sanctions
Jovan Surbatovic, General Secretary of the Serbian FA, expressed outrage over the incident. “What happened is scandalous and we will ask UEFA for sanctions, even at the cost of not continuing the competition,” Surbatovic stated. He emphasized that Serbia expects UEFA to penalize the federations of both Croatia and Albania. Surbatovic added, “We don’t want to participate in that, but if UEFA doesn’t punish them, we will think about how to proceed.”
Serbia 🇷🇸 born Albanian 🇦🇱 football player Mirlind Daku leading fans to cheer:
Fuck Macedonians 🇲🇰 / Qifsa maqedonën@UEFA should ban him from the remainder of the tournament for spreading hate against a people/country that isn't even participating.
pic.twitter.com/eIDTS3H9MW pic.twitter.com/M0Lpe6napN— Igor Jaramaz 🇷🇸🇨🇦 UN SC 1244 (@IgorJaramaz) June 20, 2024
Serbia’s Position and UEFA’s Response
Serbia, having lost 1-0 to England in their opening match of the tournament, is set to face Slovenia in Munich on Thursday. If Serbia follows through on their threat to withdraw, their scheduled opponents, Slovenia and Denmark, would be awarded a 3-0 win if the fixtures aren’t fulfilled. UEFA has yet to officially acknowledge the alleged chanting incident.
Previous Sanctions Against Serbia
In a related disciplinary action, Serbia was fined €10,000 by UEFA for breaking two rules during their match against England. The Serbian FA was penalized for “throwing of objects” and “transmitting a provocative message unfit for a sports event.” Surbatovic defended Serbian fans, stating, “We Serbs are gentlemen and we have an open heart, so I appeal to the fans to remain gentlemen.”
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how UEFA will respond to the Serbian FA’s demands and the potential impact on Euro 202
