International Federation of Association Football, FIFA, penalizes two Swiss national team players Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka. According to Goal’s report, FIFA give punishment for Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka in the form of fines.
Nominal fines are worth 7,500 pounds for each player. The punishment is light in comparison to predictions by many media estimates that Xherdan Shaqiri and Granite Xhaka will accept sanctions banned from playing.
Both Swiss players received the punishment for making symbols through his hands like a bird flapping its wings and sticking it in the center of the chest.
Allegedly, the celebration is a form of the Eagle bird on the Albanian country flag that Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka attempt to show the world.
The symbol is shown when celebrating a goal against Serbian national team in Group E advanced match in Kaliningrad, Stadium, Friday (22/6/2018). In addition to Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, Swiss captain Stephan Lichtsteiner also received a fined of 3,700 pounds for similar behavior.
Albania is a country that has been politically hostile to Serbia in the past. The allegations that the celebration is politically charged can not be separated from the background of Shaqiri and Xhaka from immigrant families and have Albanian blood. Reported from NBC Sports page, Shaqiri was born in Kosovo before moving to Switzerland with his parents and three siblings when he was only one year old. Shaqiri’s move was caused by the riot that occurred in Kosovo with the Serbian Government. Kosovo then declared independence from Serbian in 2008, but was not recognized as a sovereign nation by Serbia.
Similar story is experienced by Xhaka who also has blood of Albanian descent. Xhaka’s father had previously participated in a demonstration against the Yugoslavia communist government in Kosovo. However, his father have to be jailed with a long punishment afterwards.
President of the Serbain Football Federation, Slavisa Kokeza had condemned the actions of Shaqiri and Xhaka. Even so, Shaqiri admitted that there is no intention more than just celebrating a goal.
“I think in football you always have emotions,” said Shaqiri.
“You can see what I do and I think it’s just emotion, I’m very happy to score this goal. This is nothing more I think we should not talk about is now,” he added.
