Serbia threaten to quit Euro 2024 over chants

Serbia have threatened to pull out of Euro 2024 over chanting between Croatia and Albania fans on Wednesday.

Chants could be heard during the 2-2 Group B draw about the killing of Serbians.

The general secretary of the Football Association of Serbia, Jovan Surbatovic, has called for the strongest sanction to be taken.

He told the Serbian state-owned broadcaster RTS: “What happened is scandalous and we will ask [European governing body] Uefa for sanctions, even if it means not continuing the competition.”

Surbatovic said that he was “sure they will be punished” following Uefa’s decision on Wednesday to cancel the credentials of Kosovar journalist, Arlind Sadiku.

Sadiku made a nationalist double-handed eagle gesture towards Serbia fans during the game against England. The gesture mimics the eagle on Albania’s national flag, which can inflame tensions between Serbian nationalists and ethnic Albanians, who make up the vast majority of Kosovo’s population.

“We will demand from Uefa to punish the federations of both selections,” Surbatovic added. 

“We do not want to participate in that, but if Uefa does not punish them, we will think how will we proceed.”

In a statement the Serbian FA said it had sent a letter to Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis highlighting the “shameful joint chanting”.