A Croation coach has been sent packing from the world cup by the football federation after being found guilty of an offence.
Croatian national team celebrating after victory
Ognjen Vukojevic has been sacked by the Croatian Football
Federation for publishing a politically-charged video on social media
following the penalty shootout win over Russia, just days before the
World Cup semi-final against England.
Former Croatia international Vukojevic, who had been working as a
coaching assistant, recorded a video with defender Domagoj Vida after
the game in which both men dedicated the Croatia’s victory to Ukraine – a
clear reference to the country’s long-running political conflict with
Russia that centres on the disputed territory of Crimea.
In a video posted to Facebook and subsequently uploaded to YouTube, Vida shouted “Glory to Ukraine!”,
a chant widely used during the 2014 revolution that drove Ukraine’s
pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych from power and since adopted by
Ukrainian ultra-nationalists, while Vukojevic added: “This victory is for Dynamo [Kiev] and Ukraine.”
Their comments sparked a backlash in Russia and Vida was warned by
Fifa, but the Croatian Football Federation has now confirmed that it has
severed ties with Vukojevic over the matter.
“The Croatian Football Federation hereby notifies the public
that Ognjen Vukojevic has been relieved of his duties as an associate of
the coaching staff of the Croatian national team by decision of the
management of the Croatian FA, and that he will no longer be a member of
the Croatian delegation at the FIFA World Cup in Russia,” the organisation said in a statement.
“The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has decided to revoke
Vukojevic's team accreditation at the FIFA World Cup and to relieve him
of his duties as an observer for the Croatian national team.
“HNS hereby apologizes to the Russian public for the actions of
a member of the Croatian delegation. Ognjen Vukojevic and Domagoj Vida
likewise apologize for their statements, which were in no way intended
to have political connotations, yet which unfortunately left room for
such interpretations.”
Last year Vukojevic was appointed as a scout by Dynamo Kiev, the
club where Vida spent five years before joining Turkish giants Besiktas
in January. After receiving his formal warning from Fifa, Vida was
quoted by Russian newspaper Sport Express as saying: “There’s no politics in football. It’s a joke for my friends from Dynamo Kiev. I love Russians and I love Ukrainians.”
Earlier in the World Cup, Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka were
fined £7,600 each for celebrating Switzerland’s 2-1 win over Serbia by
making an eagle shape with their hands – a gesture associated with
Albanian nationalists.
Culled from The Independent UK
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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