UEFA announced today that it has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Serbian Football Federation for the inappropriate behavior of its fans on the sidelines of the match that Serbia lost against England (0-1) at Euro 2024, played yesterday in Gelsenkirchen and decided by a goal by Jude Bellingham.
The investigation concerns, more specifically, “throwing objects” and “provocative messages that have no place in the context of a sporting event”. “UEFA’s Disciplinary, Ethics and Control Body will rule on the matter in due course.”
While awaiting the conclusions of the highest continental body, the Serbian (FSS) and Kosovar (FKK) football federations have mutually filed a complaint with UEFA: the FFK has accused the Serbian supporters of displaying flags and banners and chanting “slogans and songs” to convey racist political messages against Kosovo. “The propagation of such racist messages during an event such as Euro 2024 is senseless and absurd,” writes the Football Federation, calling for “rigorous disciplinary measures against the Serbian Federation, described as a “repeat offender”.
The FSS instead accuses a Kosovar journalist of having made a nationalist gesture.