UEFA sanction: Serbia and Albania lose their appeals
Tuesday 2 December 2014 19:12, UK
Serbia and Albania have lost their appeals against sanctions slapped on them by UEFA regarding their abandoned European Championship qualifier staged in Belgrade last month.
European football's governing body maintained their original decision to award the match 3-0 to Serbia but depriving them of the three points while UEFA says Albania forfeited the match for refusing to play on.
The October 14 qualifier was halted when irate home fans invaded the pitch and attacked Albania’s players after a pro-Albanian flag was flown over the stadium by a drone.
The match, for which Albanian fans had been barred on UEFA's request, was goalless when it was abandoned in the 41st minute.
In the melee that followed, a Serbia player pulled the banner down and Albanian players tried to protect it.
In the resulting disorder, Serbian fans attacked Albania's players.
Albania players then fled to the changing rooms trying to avoid missiles – such as chairs – being thrown at them by home fans.
UEFA also ordered Serbia to play their next two home qualifiers in an empty stadium, while both federations were fined 100,000 Swiss Francs.
