Kosovo’s national team coach, Franco Foda, said that respect on the field during the match against Romania was lost, which is why the Kosovo team decided not to return to the field.
He spoke after the match against Romania in Bucharest, explaining the decision not to continue the game.
“Yesterday in the press conference, I emphasized that it is important for everyone to show respect. Before the match, I told the players that we needed to show ourselves tonight, and we played a good game. But, at the end of the match, respect was lost. We decided to leave the field, and after a discussion with everyone, the situation did not change. That’s why we decided not to return to the field,” said Foda.
He added that the chants and behavior of the home fans could not be tolerated and hopes that UEFA will take action. “Everyone needs to understand that we are Kosovo and we deserved respect. I hope that UEFA will take the necessary steps in the future to prevent such incidents,” Foda said.
Kosovo’s players did not listen to the referee and did not return to the field to continue the match against Romania. As a result, the referee ended the game. This situation occurred after racist chants against Kosovo were heard from the Romanian supporters at the end of the match.
According to UEFA’s regulations, if a national team refuses to continue the game due to racist chants, UEFA must examine whether the situation justifies the decision. Depending on the investigation, consequences could affect one or both teams, but the regulations aim to protect the players and fight racism in sports.
