FIFA fines Croatia for xenophobic taunts of Canada's Borjan at World Cup
Croatia was fined by FIFA on Wednesday for its fans’ verbal assault to Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar almost two weeks ago.
The Croatian Football Federation was fined 50,000 Swiss francs (CAD $72553.75) after the club’s fans abused and taunted Borjan, who has Serbian lineage.
Disciplinska komisija Fife donijela je odluku o kazni Hrvatskom nogometnom savezu zbog ponašanja dijela navijača na utakmici FIFA Svjetskog prvenstva protiv Kanade.https://t.co/oD3DxYGH0R
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) December 7, 2022
The fine was for “the inappropriate behaviour of some fans (inappropriate shouts and use of banners with inappropriate content),” the Federation said, according to Google Translate.
The Croatian Football Federation violated Article 16 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
Borjan and his family were driven out of his hometown in an ethnic Serbian region of Croatia in 1995 as part of the Croatian War of Independence. The family relocated to Belgrade, Serbia, before eventually moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba and later Hamilton, Ontario.
A group of fans were holding a flag with a John Deere logo and the caption “Knin 95 — nothing runs like Borjan,” in reference to the keeper and other Serbians leaving the country on refugee convoys during Canada’s 4-1 loss to Croatia in the group stage of the World Cup on Sunday, November 27.
Canada Soccer filed a complaint to FIFA about the banner after the match.
Borjan’s phone number was also reportedly leaked amongst Croatian fans, who reportedly sent him 2,500 messages during and after the loss.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened proceedings against the Croatia Football Federation due to the behaviour of its fans on the occasion of the Croatia v. Canada FIFA World Cup match played on 27 November,” FIFA wrote in a statement after the Canada-Croatia match. “The proceedings were opened on the basis of articles 13 and 16 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.”
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