Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

FIFA: No probe against Swiss football team in Qatar

Serbian and Swiss football players
Xhaka was involved in a scuffle with Serbian players during last Friday's group stage game at the football world championships in Qatar. Keystone / Georgi Licovski
Series Qatar World Cup, Episode 18:

Football's world governing body FIFA has brought disciplinary charges against Serbia for alleged misconduct by players and fans during a World Cup match against Switzerland.

However, it stopped short of launching a probe against the Swiss team or its captain, Granit Xhaka, for obscene gestures against the Serbian bench and other perceived provocations.

The FIFA decision came a day ahead of a crucial game between Portugal and Switzerland for a berth in the quarterfinals in Qatar. 

Tensions flared in the stands and on the field in last Friday’s rematch of their stormy game at the 2018 World Cup that revived ethnic Balkan rivalries.

Switzerland was captained by Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri scored the opening goal in a 3-2 win that eliminated Serbia. Both Swiss players have ethnic Albanian roots and family ties to Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia doesn’t recognise Kosovo’s sovereignty. 

FIFA on Monday didn’t specify which incidents at Stadium 974 led to charges relating to “misconduct of players and officials,” discrimination and “misconduct of players and officials.”

Anti-Kosovo chants were heard from the section of Serbia fans, who targeted Shaqiri with verbal abuse in the first half.

Several Serbia players in the dugout encroached on the field in the second half when the referee didn’t use video review to study a claim for a penalty kick.

FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, gave no timetable for the disciplinary case. Any punishments could apply when Serbia next plays competitive games in March in a European Championship qualifying group.

More
Qatar, Doha skyline.

More

How Qatar could spy on World Cup visitors

This content was published on Drones, surveillance vehicles and mobile-phone hacking: the clandestine spying services proposed to Qatar by a former CIA agent.

Read more: How Qatar could spy on World Cup visitors

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

No Swiss bank in phase with environmental objectives

More

Swiss banks failing environment, says WWF

This content was published on None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.

Read more: Swiss banks failing environment, says WWF
UNRWA provides emergency assistance to just over one million Palestine refugees, or about 75 per cent of all Palestine refugees in Gaza, who lack the financial means to cover their basic food.

More

Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

This content was published on The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.

Read more: Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR