UEFA investigating Marko Arnautovic remarks during Macedonia game
UEFA has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate Austria striker Marko Arnautovic’s heated reaction to his goal against North Macedonia on Sunday.
The Macedonian football federation said on Monday it had submitted a request to UEFA to punish Arnautovic for a nationalist outburst after he scored during the match.
“We are always against nationalism, discrimination and all other forms of insults and outbursts that are not in the spirit of football and the values that we all stand for together,” the federation said in a statement released late on Monday.
Marko Arnautovic apologises for 'shouting "I'm f***ing your Albanian mother"' while celebrating against North Macedonia, as he claims 'I am not a racist… I have friends in almost every country' https://t.co/36BXtZVuH3
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) June 14, 2021
Arnautovic has denied using racist language during the match in Bucharest, but apologised for his goal celebration in a post on Instagram.
UEFA disciplinary rules call for a minimum 10-match ban for insults based on race or ethnic origin.
Arnautovic scored Austria’s third goal in Sunday’s game and celebrated. There have been claims on social media he used an anti-Albanian slur towards Egzon Bejtulai, who is of that background.
Alioski is also of Albanian heritage, while Arnautovic has a Serbian background. There is a historic tension between Serbia and Albania, while the same can be said of Serbia and North Macedonia.
UEFA confirmed an investigation in a short statement on Tuesday. “In accordance with the Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to conduct an investigation regarding the incident involving the player Marko Arnautovic that occurred during the 2020 European Championship group-stage match between the national teams of Austria and North Macedonia on 13 June 2021.”
The Football Federation of Macedonia (FFM) statement claimed on Monday that statement said: “The FFM strongly condemns the nationalistic outburst of Austrian player Marko Arnautovic, after a goal scored in yesterday’s match, addressed to Ezgjan Alioski,” a statement said. “At the same time, we inform you that we have submitted an official letter to Uefa demanding the harshest punishment for Arnautovic.
“We are always against nationalism, discrimination and all other forms of insults and outbursts that are not in the spirit of football and values that we all stand together. We will always stand up and defend the interests and dignity of Macedonian national players wherever they perform.”
Arnautovic reacts!
On Instagram after the match and said: “There were some heated words yesterday in the emotions of the game for which I would like to APOLOGIZE especially to my friends from North Macedonia and Albania.
“I would like to say one thing very clearly: I AM NOT A RACIST!
“I have friends in almost every country and I stand for diversity. Everyone who knows me is aware of that.”
