Swiss footballers Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri both received a warning and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs for unsporting behaviour by FIFA’s disciplinary panel, according to numerous reports.
Details of FIFA fines for Swiss trio who celebrated scoring v Serbia with hand gestures of Albania’s national eagle symbol. Stems from Xhaka & Shaqiri having Albanian heritage linked to Kosovo, the ex-Serbian province whose deceleration of independence isn’t recognised by Serbia pic.twitter.com/FnQFiWrJm3
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 25, 2018
The FIFA panel could have also banned the two from playing the next two world cup games but decided not to.
Xhaka and Shaqiri made hand gestures of a two-headed eagle, an allusion to the Albanian flag, after scoring in last Friday’s football world cup match against Serbia.
Switzerland captain Stephan Lichtsteiner, who joined in, was also warned and fined 5,000 Swiss francs.
Xhaka and Shaqiri have family links to Kosovo, a region of Albania that, in 2008, became an independent nation, that Serbia does not recognize.
5,000 Swiss franc fines were also imposed on Serbian coach Mladen Krstajic and Serbian football federation president Slavisa Kokeza for their “unsporting behaviour” and statements.
In addition, the Serbian football federation was fined 54,000 Swiss francs for incidents involving its fans.
Switzerland will face Costa Rica with a full team at 20:00 on Wednesday.
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