UEFA opens proceedings against Romania for racist and insulting behavior towards Kosovo

European football's governing body, UEFA, announced late Thursday that it has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Romanian Football Federation (FFR), accused of several violations during the Euro 2024 qualifier against Kosovo, including racist behavior and offensive messages.

On Tuesday, the Group I qualifying match between Romania and Kosovo in Bucharest was interrupted for about an hour after local fans chanted and unfurled a "Kosovo is Serbia" banner.

UEFA announced this evening that it has opened disciplinary procedures against several federations after qualifying matches for next year's European Championship, including against Romania in connection with the match with Kosovo.

Charges facing the Romanian federation:

When 17 minutes had passed in the National Arena in the Romanian capital, the French referee Willy Delajod stopped the game after a racist banner was seen in the area behind the goal of Kosovo and the nationalist chants of the Romanian fans started.

The players of Kosovo refused to continue the game under such conditions, informing the referee of the match about what they had seen.

The referee then instructed the footballers of both national teams to return to the dressing room.

The match resumed after a full 50-minute break, after the UEFA delegate warned the organizer not to allow the repetition of discriminatory calls.

UEFA had announced on its official website that "due to discriminatory behaviour, the match was suspended until further notice".

Kosovo, which played with 10 players most of the time after striker Vedat Muriqi was sent off after two yellow cards in the first half, lost 2-0, losing hopes of participating in a major football tournament for the first time in history of the national team, which was admitted to UEFA and FIFA in 2016.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of Kosovo, Hajrullah Çeku, reacted after the incident by noting on the social network Facebook: "As our boys continue the game with heart and professionalism, the dignity of the state of Kosovo is above any provocation. Shine tonight!"

The Romanian Football Federation (FFR) condemned the revisionism and messages of a political nature displayed during the match.

"The Football Federation of Romania strongly distances itself from the irresponsible behavior of a group of supporters from the southern stand, which led to the interruption of the match between Romania and Kosovo last night at the National Arena. First, we reiterate the principle on the basis of which football is governed in Romania, the act of non-interference of politics in sport", said the Romanian federation in a reaction after the match.

Romania is one of the five European Union countries, along with Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Slovakia, that do not recognize Kosovo's independence.