FIFA fine high-flying Swiss for ‘unsporting’ eagle celebration

June 26 – Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri have escaped a ban following their controversial goal celebrations in the 2-1 win over Serbia last week.

Instead FIFA have fined them for making gestures that appeared to imitate the double-headed eagle on the Albanian flag.

Although both players have spent virtually their whole lives in Switzerland, they have ethnic Albanian heritage and roots in Kosovo which declared independence in 2008 from Serbia.

Both were fined CHF10,000 each while Swiss captain Stephan Lichtsteiner was fined CHF5,000 for making the same gesture in support, all three adjudged to have “infringed the FIFA disciplinary code for unsporting behaviour contrary to the principles of fair play.”

FIFA outlaws all political messages or symbols in stadiums and the three players could have been banned for up to two games.

Shaqiri put his indiscretion down to the emotion of the moment but In the aftermath of the match political tensions boiled over and Serb federation president Slavisa Kokeza and coach Mladen Krstajic were both warned and fined CHF5,000 for “unsporting behaviour.”

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