Accreditation gone

Journalist provokes Serbs – UEFA throws him out

Kosovar journalist Arlind Sadiku was banned from the tournament for the double-headed eagle gesture.(Bild: APA/AFP/OZAN KOSE, twitter.com/kosovarfootball)

After making a nationalistic gesture, the European Football Union (UEFA) has withdrawn the accreditation of Kosovan journalist Arlind Sadiku for the current European Championship. 

Serbia's association had demanded the sanction for Sadiku because he had formed the Albanian double-headed eagle with his hands during a live broadcast of Serbia's match against England in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday.

The double-headed eagle is at the center of the Albanian national flag. Kosovo, which has been independent from Serbia since 2008, is mainly inhabited by ethnic Albanians, with Serbs forming only a small minority. Serbia still does not recognize the country's independence.

Sadiku commented on the incident on Facebook. "Celebrating with an eagle is not a criminal offense. I didn't offend or provoke anyone. I'm just proud of the symbol that represents us." He calls his exclusion from the tournament a "dangerous precedent".

Banner with Kosovo - fine!
At the same time as Sadiku's expulsion, UEFA fined Serbia's association 10,000 euros for displaying "a provocative message". Pictures from the game show a banner on which Serbia's borders also include Kosovo.