The Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia
and Albania was abandoned following a brawl between players from both
sides after a flag stunt.
Serbia will have to play their next two European qualifying matches behind closed doors as punishment for the chaos that enveloped their match with Albania in Belgrade last week but both sides have been sanctioned by Uefa.
The Guardian has learned that Uefa’s disciplinary committee
has decided to sanction both teams, with Serbia and Albania each being
fined €100,000 (£78,000) and the home side being awarded a 3-0 victory.
However, neither side will get any points, because Serbia have also been
docked three points.
The decision has already been labelled a “travesty” by
lawyers for the Albanian FA, which believes its players were placed in
mortal danger by the Serbians’ inability to control the crowd in
Belgrade.
It was the surreal appearance of a remote-control drone,
hovering low over the pitch bearing a flag for “Greater Albania” that
sparked scenes of violence.
The Albanian players fled from the pitch while being
attacked by fans and stewards, later refusing to return and causing the
match to be abandoned.
The brother of the Albanian prime minister was accused of
flying the drone but he denied it. Uefa is no closer to finding out who
was responsible.
It was the first match between the two sides in the Serbian
capital since 1967 but, despite the tension between the nations
following the Kosovo conflict and that disputed territory’s declaration
of independence in 2008, Uefa did not keep the teams apart in the
qualifying draw.
The ruling has already been labelled a “travesty” by sources
close to the Albanian FA, which believes its players faced
unprecedented provocation from the crowd, who pelted them with stones
and lighters and chanted “Kill the Albanians”.
They argue that the players were justified in refusing to return to the field because they feared for their lives.
Chimi Shakohoxha, a partner at the law firm Clarke Wilmott,
was at the match as part of the official Albanian delegation and said he
saw banners featuring war criminals and constantly heard racist
chanting.
The match, from which away fans were banned under an
agreement between the two countries, was halted for the second time by
the English referee Martin Atkinson in the 41st minute after flares were
hurled on to the pitch.
The drone then hovered into view, clearly displaying the
flag, which hung close to the pitch before being grabbed by the Serbia
defender, Stefan Mitrovic. When several Albanian players attempted to
take it from him, a mêlée ensued.
Television pictures showed Serbian fans and stewards
attempting to attack the Albanian players, who refused to return to the
pitch. Following a tense half-hour wait, Atkinson abandoned the match.
Serbia were formally charged with setting off fireworks,
crowd disturbance, a pitch invasion, “insufficient organisation” and the
use of a laser pen.
Albania were charged with refusing to play and the “display
of an illicit banner”. Branislav Ivanovic, the Chelsea defender, said
Serbia wanted to play on but their Albanian opponents were “unfit
physically and mentally” to return to the field.
According to Serbia, they asked Uefa to finish the match,
which was goalless, after emptying the stadium or to replay it this week
but the Albanian FA refused. The incident was the latest in a string of
controversies involving disorder by Serbian fans.
In a rambling 1,500-word statement the Serbian FA placed the
blame for the incident firmly on the Albanian players and officials,
claiming they were “accomplices” to a plan that was a “pre-planned
terrorist action”.
“The incident itself and the behaviour of the Albanian
players, coach and staff leaves no room for doubt that they were part of
a synchronised plan to stop the match,” the FSS claimed.
The Albanian FA said their players were attacked not only by fans and stewards but also by police as they fled for the dressing room. Their captain, Lorik Cana, said it was a “miracle” that no one was seriously injured.
Shakohoxha said he expected the Albanian FA to appeal. “This
is a travesty. It’s a cop-out. We are totally committed to banishing
racism from football and this judgment appears to fly in the face of
that aim. This is not about the points; it’s about fighting racism.”
No comments:
Post a Comment