World Cup 2018: Switzerland trio avoid bans for 'eagle gesture' goal celebrations

Published on: 25 June 2018

Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri

Granit Xhaka (left) and Xherdan Shaqiri both play their football in England

Switzerland's Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri and Stephan Lichtsteiner have avoided bans for their 'double eagle gesture' goal celebrations in their side's World Cup win over Serbia.

Fifa fined Xhaka and Shaqiri 10,000 Swiss francs (£7,632) and Lichtsteiner SFr5,000 (£3,816) for "unsporting behaviour" for the gesture, which symbolises the Albanian flag.

Xhaka and Shaqiri are ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, where a Serbian crackdown on the Albanian population ended with Nato military intervention in 1999.

Serbia Football Association president Slavisa Kokeza and Serbia head coach Mladen Krstajic were each fined SFr5,000 for their comments after Friday's 2-1 defeat.

Kokeza gave an interview to the BBC in which he accused Fifa, football's world governing body, of bias against his country.

The Serbia FA was also fined SFr54,000 (£41,217) for the behaviour of their fans during the game - the display of discriminatory banners and the throwing of objects.

More to follow.

Source: bbc.com

Source: bbc.com

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