In a judgement upheld by FIFA’s disciplinary committee on Monday, three Switzerland players were fined for making hand gestures of an Albanian national symbol in celebration of their World Cup goals against Serbia.
Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri received a warning and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs (an equivalent of $10,100) for unsporting behavior.
Image: Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri
The Swiss players have now received clearance from FIFA and are allowed to represent their country in subsequent matches.
Switzerland captain Stephan Lichtsteiner was warned and fined 5,000 Swiss francs ($5,050), a report from AP confirms.
The FIFA judges had the power to impose two-match bans if the actions of the players in a 2-1 win last Friday in Kaliningrad were judged to have provoked the general public.
Xhaka and Shaqiri made hand gestures of a two-headed eagle after scoring second-half goals, and Lichtsteiner joined in the celebration. The two goal scorers have ethnic Albanian heritage linked to Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Serbia doesn’t recognize that independence.
Image: Granit Xhaka
In a separate ruling Monday, FIFA fined the Serbian football federation 54,000 Swiss francs ($54,700) for incidents involving its fans at the same game. Serbia was charged for fans’ “display of discriminatory banners and messages by Serbian supporters as well as for throwing objects during the match,” FIFA said.
Both the Switzerland and Serbia teams played down any political factors before the game last Friday. Shaqiri had posted a photograph on Instagram of his playing boots, one with a Switzerland flag on the heel and the other with a Kosovo flag.
Coach Mladen Krstajic and federation president Slavisa Kokeza were each fined 5,000 Swiss francs ($5,060) and warned by FIFA for “unsporting behavior due to statements made” about the referee.
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