By Samindra Kunti in Bucharest
November 18 – UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the associations of both Romania and Kosovo following the abandonment of their Nations League match as Kosovo walked off in injury time following chants of ‘Serbia’ by Romanian fans.
In a statement, the European confederation said: “Disciplinary proceedings have been instigated against the Romanian Football Federation and the Football Federation of Kosovo in accordance with Article 55 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) following the UEFA Nations League match between Romania and Kosovo played on 15 November 2024 in Bucharest, Romania.”
With the score at 0-0 and the last kick of the game to come, Kosovo’s team walked off on 93 minutes when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from the home fans. A Kosovo player made an eagle gesture with crossed hands directed at Romania fans. The gesture represents the eagle on Albania’s national flag and is provocative toward Serbian nationalists.
Confusion reigned for the next hour but the visitors did not re-emerge from their dressing room. Eventually Danish referee Morten Krogh returned to the field and whistled the end of the match with only the Romanian players present.
It’s not the first time that the fixture has prompted chaos. A Euro 2024 qualifier was suspended for 50 minutes over chants and a banner ‘Kosovo is Serbia’. Romania does not recognise Kosovo as a state.
Under heavy police presence, Romania’s ultras had marched to the stadium on an evening that had been destined to be tense. The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) had repeatedly warned against disorder.
In a statement after the match, the FRF said: “It is important to emphasise that there were no racist chants during the match, nor was the slogan ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ chanted even once. Moreover, we would like to remind everyone of the decision made by UEFA’s Disciplinary Committee regarding a similar incident during a match last year, where Kosovo acted in the same manner. The decision clearly stated that the slogan ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ cannot be classified as racist and, therefore, cannot trigger the three-step procedure. This point was also reiterated by the UEFA delegate during the technical meeting prior to the last evening match.”
“We find it regrettable that a football team would choose to leave the pitch and retreat to the locker room just two minutes before the final whistle, given that the result was not favorable to it. This action demonstrates a lack of respect for the sport and a complete disregard for fair play.”
The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) however has a different version of events and said they warned Uefa repeatedly about potential provocation from Romania fans.
“Cries such as ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ and ‘Serbia, Serbia’, whistling during the singing of the national anthem of Kosovo, throwing hard objects … and other offensive and provocative actions were present throughout the match, creating an unacceptable atmosphere not safe for our players,” said the FFK in a statement.
“FFK had warned the relevant UEFA bodies more than twice in writing about the possibility of such actions, once a few days before the match and then a few minutes before it started.”
“Despite these warnings, the Romanian fans continued with irresponsible and discriminatory behaviour, forcing the Kosovo national team to leave the field due to the lack of safety and dignity.”
The day following the match Kosovan prime minister Albin Kurti visited the team camp and in an address said: “It is a pleasure and an honor to meet together today. First I must congratulate you on the excellent game you played in Bucharest, where you dominated on the green field, and at the same time express our full solidarity with the attitude you took there. It is a principled, fair and useful attitude, both for Kosovo, and for football, and for every citizen of our country, who felt represented by the statement and attitude of captain Amir Rrahmani, for which I congratulate and thank you from heart…”
“It is not the first time that such a situation is happening to us. Chauvinist calls against Kosovo and Albanians, racist calls against our players and our people have also happened in the past. Only now the cup is full. And there is no place in the cup for more such denigrating attacks which are unacceptable in the civilized world. When this happens in a country that has not yet recognized us, everything becomes even more difficult,” he continued.
“I am ending this speech by quoting Amir Rrahmani exactly. “I want to appeal to UEFA and FIFA not to allow these things. Kosovo has had a difficult past, war, massacres and everything, it was not easy to get here, therefore we deserve respect. Everyone should know that Kosovo is Kosovo, or Kosovo is Albania, that’s it, that’s where it ends.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734913553labto1734913553ofdlr1734913553owedi1734913553sni@i1734913553tnuk.1734913553ardni1734913553mas1734913553. Additional reporting by Aleksander Krassimirov.