BUCHAREST: The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) said it had repeatedly warned European soccer’s governing body UEFA about potential provocation from Romania fans ahead of Friday’s Nations League match, which was abandoned when Kosovo’s players walked off.
The game in Bucharest was abandoned in stoppage time after the visiting players left the field with the score at 0-0 when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from the home fans.
The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch. UEFA had said it would communicate “further information in due course.”
“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,” the FFK said 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 behavior, forcing the Kosovo national team to leave the field due to the lack of safety and dignity.”
The FFK also alleged that a Romania official “threatened and assaulted” a Kosovo player in the corridors of the stadium.
“For all these serious violations, FFK has immediately reported the incidents to the match delegate and has started preparing a full complaint with facts and evidence that will be submitted to UEFA’s disciplinary bodies,” it added.
Reuters has contacted UEFA for comment.
The Romanian Football Federation was fined by UEFA last year over pro-Serbia chanting and the display of a banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia” by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the countries at the National Arena.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not Romania.
Kosovo FA say they warned UEFA about possible provocation by Romania fans
https://arab.news/6vkbc
Kosovo FA say they warned UEFA about possible provocation by Romania fans
- The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch
- UEFA had said it would communicate “further information in due course“
Sixth Dakar Rally win for Al-Attiyah as Benavides triumphs on two wheels
Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the sixth time in the car category on Saturday as Argentina’s Luciano Benavides won by two seconds on two wheels, the narrowest margin ever.
Al-Attiyah, with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, had led overnight after taking his 50th career stage win and made no mistakes as he handed Dacia a first victory at their second attempt in the two-week event held entirely in Saudi Arabia.
The 55-year-old Qatari also won in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Ford’s Nani Roma finished second, nine minutes and 42 seconds behind, and teammate Mattias Ekstrom was third after winning the final stage.
Last year’s winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia withdrew in the opening week after mechanical problems.
Benavides had earlier taken the motorcycle title after American Ricky Brabec lost his way and saw victory slip through his fingers.
The KTM rider, whose older brother Kevin won the Dakar in 2021 and 2023, came home second in the 105-km stage in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, with Honda’s overnight leader Brabec 10th.
In a grueling endurance event spanning two weeks and 8,000km over rocky roads, through canyons and vast expanses of desert dunes, twice winner Brabec blew his chances with only a few kilometers remaining.
Spaniard Tosha Schareina finished third overall for Honda.
“From the start to the finish I never stopped dreaming, I never stopped believing,” said Benavides, who had trailed Brabec by three minutes and 20 seconds after Friday’s penultimate stage.
“I said to all my people around ‘I don’t know why but I still feel it’s possible, I still believe I can win and it’s going to go my way’.
“In the last three kilometers, Ricky took a wrong piste and I took a good one... I just saw the opportunity and I took it.”
American Skyler Howes was fourth overall for Honda, ahead of Australia’s 2025 champion Daniel Sanders on a KTM.
Sanders crashed on stage 10 but refused to retire and raced on despite a suspected broken collarbone.
