Croatia Deducted a Point by UEFA for Swastika on Pitch

The UEFA Disciplinary Committee has ruled that Croatia will be deducted 1 point following the swastika incident at Poljud stadium during Croatia’s 1-1 draw with Italy in a Euro 2016 qualifier on 12 June…

UEFA’s 10-man disciplinary committee handed down Croatia’s punishment on Thursday, ordering that the side be deducted one point from their 2016 Euro qualifying campaign. Croatia is currently at the top of Group H, and will stay in top spot even after today’s ruling. The Croatian football federation was also fined 100,000 euros and Croatia’s next two home matches will be played behind closed doors. The Croatian football federation has also been banned from using Split’s Poljud stadium as a venue for the rest of the 2016 qualifying campaign.

standings before the points deduction

Italian journalists at the match first noticed the large swastika pattern and notified the Italian FA who immediately laid a complaint with UEFA. Ground staff done their best to cover it up at halftime, but to little avail.

The Croatian football federation issued an apology immediately after the match.

“We apologize to all viewers, our guests from Italy and the players from both teams, for the nazi symbol on the Poljud Stadium grass. This was an obvious act of sabotage and a criminal act. We condemn it and ask the police and judicial bodies to find the person(s) responsible for what is a shame not only for Croatian football, but the entire country,” they said in a statement.

Police in Split last week released CCTV footage of two suspects entering Poljud stadium on the eve of the match. There have been no arrests in the case.