Croatia fined by FIFA for supporters’ abuse of the Canadian goalkeeper

FIFA fines Croatia over fans’ abuse of Canadian goalkeeper

FIFA has penalized World Cup quarter-finalists “Croatia” for abusive behavior directed at Canada’s goalkeeper by the supporters during last month’s group-stage match in Qatar. If you are a football fan, you wouldn’t want to miss the knockout stages of World Cup 2022, featuring some of the most surprising qualifiers fighting for the trophy.

The governing body of world football said on Wednesday that its disciplinary committee has levied a punishment of 50,000 Swiss francs ($53,000) on the Croatian Football Federation concerning the behavior of the Adriatic nation’s supporters during the match that took place on November 27.

During the match at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, it was alleged that Croatian fans yelled abuses towards “Milan Borjan,” an ethnic Serb who was born in Croatia but left the country when he was a child.

His hometown, which was located in a part of Croatia that was inhabited mainly by Serbs, was captured by Croatian troops in the course of a military operation that took place in 1995 and brought an end to the Croatian War of Independence. He and his family were forced to leave their home.

Additionally, an estimated 200,000 people of ethnic Serb descent left the nation both during and after the maneuver known as “Operation Storm.” Many of them did so on tractors.

Here is to notice that during Croatia’s 4-1 triumph, its supporters erected many banners, including one that was a flag of the tractor firm John Deere with the company’s tagline modified to say, “Nothing runs like Borjan.”

FIFA said its prosecution against Croatia was connected to breaches of article 16 of its disciplinary code, including the “use of words and objects to transmit a message that is not appropriate for a sports event.”

The governing bodies of football in Croatia and Canada, as well as Borjan, did not provide an instant response to the announcement made by FIFA.

The sanction from the governing body came out only 48 hours before Croatia’s match against Brazil in the round of eight on Friday. Canada could not make it further than the group stages in the competition.

In addition, FIFA levied a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs ($21,200) against the Football Association of Serbia on Wednesday for a controversial flag that depicted the neighboring country of Kosovo and was displayed in the team’s dressing room during their group-stage match against Brazil on November 24.

It displayed a map of Serbia that featured the area of the country’s former province along with the tagline “No Surrender.”

Kosovo’s Football Federation complained to FIFA concerning the flag that was displayed inappropriately over the lockers of two Serbian players.

In 2008, Kosovo publicly announced its independence from Serbia; nonetheless, Belgrade continues to refuse to acknowledge the sovereignty of its emancipated province. Doing so is common practice in many Western nations, including the United States.

In the third instance of disciplinary action, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee levied a fine of 30,000 Swiss francs ($32,000) against the “Saudi Arabian” Football Association for “team misconduct.”

This came about as a result of the Green Falcons receiving six yellow cards in the course of their group-stage matches against Argentina and Mexico, which took place on November 22 and November 30, respectively.

Saudi Arabia and Serbia were eliminated in the group stage before the knockout round of the World Cup. There was no instant reaction from the governing bodies of football in either nation in response to the sanctions that were issued by FIFA.

What are your opinions on the Croatian fans’ misbehavior and abuse of the Canadian goalkeeper, as well as the FIFA penalties imposed on Croatia, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia? Let us know in the comments below!

Jane Davies

Jane Davies

Meet Jane Davies, your friendly guide to all the cool stuff on Paramount Plus. She's got the inside scoop on the best shows, movies, and sports. Watching with Jane means getting the best picks, like having a friend who knows all about what to watch next. She loves hiking, snapping beautiful photos, and trying out new foods. Her adventures off-screen are just as fun as the ones on it. So, if you're looking for what to watch or just want to hear about cool experiences, Jane's got you covered. Let's dive into the fun world of streaming together!


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