Serbia Threatens To Halt Participation In Euro 2024

Serbia has indicated they may only proceed with the current Euro 2024 tournament if UEFA, the European soccer’s regulatory body, addresses the issue of aggressive fans.

Serbia gained negative attention when Kosovar reporter Arlind Sadiku displayed a nationalist eagle gesture towards Serbian supporters during their 1-0 loss to England on June 16.

This gesture, resembling the Albanian national flag, could spark hostility between Serbian nationalists and ethnic Albanians, who constitute most of Kosovo’s inhabitants.

As a result of the gesture, UEFA opted to prohibit Sadiku from attending any matches for the Euro 2024.

Subsequently, on Wednesday, June 19, some spectators expressed support for the killing of Serbians while observing the Euro 2024 Group B match between Croatia and Albania, which concluded in a 2-2 draw.

This angered the Serbian Football Association, leading them to urge UEFA to intervene.

“What happened is scandalous and we will ask [European governing body] Uefa for sanctions, even if it means not continuing the competition”, the general secretary of the Football Association of Serbia, Jovan Surbatovic told Serbian state-owned broadcaster RTS.

He added, “We will demand from Uefa to punish the federations of both selections.

“We do not want to participate in that, but if Uefa does not punish them, we will think how will we proceed.”

Sportxparte reports that Serbia is scheduled to play their next Euro 2024 match against Denmark on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.

The team is currently bottom of Group C.