Joe Šimunić to Fight FIFA to the End
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Experienced Croatian defender Joe Šimunić is not giving up hopes of playing in this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and will fight to the end to have his 10-match ban for ‘discriminatory behaviour’ removed…
“He told me he has launched an appeal and he will go to the end with it,” daily 24sata quoted Šimunić’s current Dinamo Zagreb team-mate Jerko Leko on Friday.
Šimunić, who has just returned from Christmas holidays in his native Australia,was suspended by world governing body FIFA for 10 matches late last year and banned from entering the stadium for any of the country’s matches at the World Cup in Brazil. He was also ordered to pay a fine of 30,000 Swiss francs (£20,700) for what FIFA declared was ‘discriminatory behaviour’ during post-match celebrations after Croatia beat Iceland in November during their World Cup play-off match.
“We will not look to have the penalty reduced, but to be removed all together,” Šimunić’s Germany-based lawyer Davor Prtenjač was quoted as saying. Šimunić joined up with his club side on Thursday as they begin training ahead of the restart of the Croatian first division.
