FIFA wants to fine Serbia for a flag with a map of Kosovo in the national team's locker room
FIFA has launched an investigation over a flag with a map of Kosovo in the dressing room of the Serbia football team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
An investigation into the Football Union of Serbia began after a Serbian flag with a map of Kosovo and the inscription “We will not surrender!” was allegedly hung in the dressing room of the Serbian national team during the World Cup match against Brazil, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The case was opened on the basis of Article 11 of the FIFA regulations and Article 4 of the FIFA World Cup regulations, which cover offensive gestures, signs and words, as well as the use of sporting events to promote unrelated issues.
A photo from the Serbian players' dressing room went viral on social networks when it was posted by Khairula Ceku, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of the self-proclaimed "Republic of Kosovo".
At the same time, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic recalled that, according to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija is part of Serbia.
“Is Kosovo declared a state? Its acceptance into FIFA does not mean anything, because among its members there are also regions, not just countries. But the UN did not recognize Kosovo. Besides, as I understand it, the ‘we won’t give up’ flag speaks about football,” Dacic said.
At the same time, the minister confirmed that the Football Union of Serbia will most likely face a fine.
It is worth noting that during the match between the Croatian and Canadian national teams, Croatian fans massively used Ustasha fascist flags.
Their difference from the national flag of Croatia is insignificant - the “chessboard” on the Ustaše coat of arms in the center of the flag begins with a white field, and this symbolism is officially prohibited in Croatia. However, there is no reaction from FIFA to fascist symbols.
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