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5 months ago
22
Albanian footballer Mirlind Daku has issued a statement after being caught leading chants of 'f*** Macedonia and f*** Serbs' with a megaphone at Euro 2024.
Daku's statement came after UEFA launched two investigations into alleged incidents around Albania's 2-2 draw with Croatia on Wednesday.
The governing body confirmed it has appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to look into 'alleged inappropriate behaviour' by Daku after the match in Hamburg.
A separate investigation has been launched into 'potential racist and/or discriminatory conduct by supporters' during the Group B clash.
The Serbian Football Association had threatened to quit the tournament on Thursday unless action was taken by UEFA, after both sets of supporters could be heard shouting 'Kill the Serbs' inside the stadium during the match.
Albanian footballer Mirlind Daku led fans' chants of 'f*** Macedonia and f*** Serbs' with a megaphone after his side's 2-2 draw with Croatia on Wednesday
Daku has issued a statement on social media as UEFA confirmed he faces an investigation
Daku has offered a statement on social media after footage taken shortly after the final whistle showed him holding a megaphone and shouting derogatory chants in Albanian.
The chants were translated into English as 'f*** Macedonia and f*** Serbs', while the 26-year-old making rallying gestures to supporters to join him.
Daku, who previously represented Kosovo before switching to Albanian in 2023, plays at club level for Russian side Rubin Kazan. Serbia are allies with Russia amid their ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022.
His statement appeared to stop short of a full apology with the forward not referring to either Macedonia or Serbia, but admitted he may have cause offence.
'First, I want to be grateful to all those who have supported us in the good and difficult moments at Euro 2024.
'Like any footballer, in those moments the emotions are on another level, where only inside the field can be understood, it is difficult to describe the feeling of playing for this national team, for these wonderful fans who give us unlimited love, as it is and our motto "Love Albania without borders".
'Feeling if I offended someone after the match with Croatia, the affect of the game takes its toll, I continue to work together with the whole group about our dreams.
'Forgiveness is many, and I feel a moral and professional obligation to do so, for all those who have been hurt.'
Chants of 'Kill the Serbs' could be heard from both sets of fans inside the stadium in Hamburg
Daku, 26, came off the bench during the Euro 2024 clash, sparking controversy at full-time
Daku had featured off the bench during the enthralling Euro 2024 clash and helped his side secure a dramatic late point, with fellow substitute Klaus Gjasula striking deep into stoppage time.
The Macedonian FA have revealed they will send an appeal to UEFA against the 'nationalist chant' involving Daku.
The forward's actions were also cited by the Serbian FA in a letter to UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis, which formally requested the governing body sanction Albania and Croatia.
The organisation said it was 'surprised' that UEFA's three-step protocol was not enforced amid the chants.
Under the protocol, match officials can halt play and request a stadium announcement to address racist behaviour, while the second step allows the referee to take players off the pitch for 10 minutes if the behaviour does not cease.
If the racist behaviour continues after a second restart, the referee can definitively abandon the match.
‘As you are probably informed, from 58 minutes and 28 seconds to 58 minutes and 50 seconds, Croatian and Albanian fans shouted "Kill, kill the Serb" together,' the letter read.
‘In question were not individuals from the fan ranks, but a large number of fans of these national teams, which at that moment was not sanctioned in accordance with UEFA's regulations, which are clear, as well as the actions of officials in those situations.
Serbia earned a 1-1 draw against Slovenia on Thursday to keep their Euro 2024 hopes alive, just hours after the country's FA threatened to pull out of the tournament over the chants
Luka Jovic scored a 95th minute equaliser to earn Serbia their first point in Group C
Serbia may face disciplinary action after their fans threw objects onto the pitch against Slovenia
‘This kind of behaviour is unacceptable in all situations, and especially at a major sporting event like this, which is followed throughout Europe and the world.
‘Instead of the football stadium being a place where one will cheer on one's own teams and promote a sporting and fair atmosphere, completely unacceptable behaviour was seen at this match, which is impossible to justify in any way.
‘According to the information we have, one player of the Albanian team, after the end of the game, in front of the tribune with Albanian fans, used a megaphone to shout the same cry and thus "inflame" the crowd.
‘The Football Association of Serbia believes that at the moment when the above-mentioned chanting by the fans of both national teams started, the match should have been stopped and the "three steps" procedure should have been started.’
Serbia were also upset when a Kosovan TV journalist aimed an Albanian 'eagle' sign towards their fans during a live broadcast at their opening game against England.
Arlind Sadiku, who reports for the television channel Artmotion, has been banned from the remainder of the tournament for 'misconduct'.
The Serbian FA had earlier threatened to pull out of Euro 2024 if UEFA did not take action against Albania and Croatia.
The threat, which the organisation has since rowed back on, came hours before Serbia's 1-1 draw against Slovenia with Luka Jovic's late goal keeping their hopes of qualifying from Group C alive.
Animosity from Croatians and Albanians towards Serbs has its roots in the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1995.
The Serbian FA are angered by the 'scandalous' incident. Pictured: Serbian FA President Dragan Dzajic (middle right) and General Secretary Jovan Surbatovic (right)
Albania's Bekim Balaj is struck by a chair thrown by a Serbian fan during their match in 2016
Animosity between Serbia, Albania and Croatia explained
Serbia, Albania and Croatia have a reputation for mutual distrust and in some cases hatred due to longstanding ethnic and political grievances.
Serbia and Albania share a tense history, primarily over the issue of Kosovo. This small country used to be an autonomous province within Serbia, but the majority of its population is made up of ethnic Albanians.
After the Republic of Yugoslavia broke up in the 1990s, tensions in Kosovo increased and culminated in the Kosovo War in 1998, in which ethnic Serbs and Albanians clashed for a year and a half before NATO intervened. Kosovo later declared independence in 2008, but this was not recognised by Serbia.
The two nations are still at loggerheads over the issue today.
The tension between Serbia and Croatia meanwhile stems directly from the 1991-1995 Croatian War of Independence.
Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in the summer of 1991 despite resistance from a group of ethnic Serbs, who in turn declared intentions to break away from Croatia.
This erupted into all-out war, with Serbia's nationalist president Slobodan Milosevic instructing his followers to conduct ruthless killings of Croats, who in turn also conducted atrocities against the Serbs.
Milosevic was later charged with war crimes - but the two countries still harbour distrust towards one another over the brutal killings.
The first-ever meeting between Croatia and Serbia in 2013 was branded the 'match of the decade' by the media in both countries and tickets for the clash at the 34,000 stadium sold out within hours.
Despite there being no away fans present in the stadium, 1,500 police officers patrolled the game in a bid to prevent any outburst of nationalism.
Similarly, when Serbia faced Albania for the first time as independent nations, their Euro 2016 qualifier descended into chaos on the pitch and in the stands - and the arrest of the brother of the Albanian Prime Minister.
UEFA had banned Albania fans from attending the clash in Belgrade but elected to allow the two countries to face each other, despite long-standing political tensions.
And when the Albanian flag - accompanied by a map of Kosovo and the message 'autochthonous', meaning indigenous - was flown above the pitch using a remote-operated drone - chaos ensued.
UEFA have already charged the Serbian FA with two offences following their defeat by England on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen - namely the throwing of objects and the transmitting of a provocative message 'unfit for a sports event'.
The latter is understood to relate to the display of a flag linked to a paramilitary movement that was engaged in ethnic cleansing during the Yugoslav wars.
The governing body also launched an investigation into claims monkey noises were aimed at England players during the clash.
An inspector has been appointed to carry out a disciplinary probe 'regarding alleged discriminatory behaviour' - though a resolution is not expected until after the group stages.
Serbia could further possible action after their fans threw bottles onto the pitch during their 1-1 draw with Slovenia on Thursday.
The Albania Football Federation were also hit with four charges for incidents during their 2-1 loss to Italy in Dortmund last week.
The dying moments of the game were interrupted by a pitch invader, resulting in a charge of 'invading the field of play', while other charges included the 'throwing of objects', 'lighting of fireworks' and 'transmitting a provocative message unfit for a sports event'.
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