UEFA has taken decisive action following the scandal at the 2024 European Championship involving Albania's Mirlind Daku. The Albanian striker has been banned for two matches due to his nationalist chants after the 2-2 draw against Croatia in Hamburg. The European Football Union stated that Daku's actions brought football into disrepute, using the sport to convey messages of a non-sporting nature.
The official UEFA statement highlighted that Daku failed to comply with the general principles of conduct and breached the basic rules of decent behavior. The Albanian Football Association has also been fined 25,000 euros for spreading provocative messages and an additional 22,500 euros for offenses committed by fans, such as setting off fireworks and entering the pitch without permission.
Daku, who plays for Rubin Kazan, will miss the crucial group match against Spain and a potential round of 16 match. If Albania is eliminated, the ban will apply to the next UEFA competition match. In response to the penalty, Daku apologized on social media, expressing regret if his actions offended anyone. He attributed his behavior to the high emotions experienced during the game.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with the North Macedonian Football Association describing the chants as scandalous. Serbia even threatened to boycott the European Championship due to the alleged nationalist chants.
In a separate incident, UEFA responded to criticism from Hungarian national team star Dominik Soboszlai regarding the delay in medical treatment for his teammate Barnabas Varga during a match against Scotland. UEFA denied the allegations, stating that the coordination between the medical staff was professional and there was no delay in treatment. Varga, who was injured after colliding with Scotland's goalkeeper, is now in stable condition in a Stuttgart hospital.
- The Albanian Federation has urged its supporters to act more responsibly and avoid creating incidents that bring disrepute to the sport. UEFA's investigation into potential racist or discriminatory behavior by supporters is still ongoing, indicating that further sanctions may be imposed.
- The incident involving Hungary's Barnabas Varga underscores the importance of swift and efficient medical response during sporting events. UEFA clarified that the intervention by the team doctor occurred within 15 seconds of the incident, followed by immediate assistance from the stadium doctor. The prepared emergency crew entered the field with a stretcher as soon as they were requested.
