FIFA has sued the Football Association of Serbia after a flag showing Kosovo as part of their country was allegedly hung in the dressing room when they faced Brazil at the World Cup, football’s governing body said on Saturday.
The image of the flag with the message “we do not surrender” in Serbian went viral on social media when it was shared by Hajrulla Ceku, Kosovo’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports.
“Shameful images from Serbia’s dressing room displaying hateful, xenophobic and genocidal messages against Kosovo while exploiting the FIFA World Cup platform,” Ceku said on Twitter.
“We expect concrete actions from FIFA, considering that FFK (Kosovo Football Federation) is a full member of FIFA and UEFA.”
Kosovo became a member of UEFA and FIFA in 2016, eight years after the country declared independence from Serbia, which opposed the move.
“FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Football Association of Serbia over a flag displayed in its dressing room on the occasion of the Brazil-Serbia match,” the organization said in a statement.
“The proceedings were opened on the basis of Article 11 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and Article 4 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Regulations.”
The FFK said it strongly condemned the “aggressive action” against the country.
“The World Cup is an event of joy and unity and should send messages of hope and peace, not messages of hate. We call on FIFA to take action against such actions,” they said.
Serbia, who lost 2-0 to Brazil, will face Cameroon on Monday (28). His football association did not respond when asked for comment.
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
_175639.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
