No more chaos after Swiss “eagle affair”

There will be no more politically charged celebrations from Switzerland at the World Cup, said midfielder Valon Behrami after key team mates escape bans but were fined after last Friday’s drama-filled victory over Serbia.

But that was only because Switzerland were unlikely to face Serbia again at the tournament in Russia. “It won’t happen in the future again because there won’t be a game like this again.

“For us now it is case closed,” Behrami told a news conference on Tuesday as Switzerland readied to take on Costa Rica in their last Group E match on Wednesday, needing a draw at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium to advance to the next round.

Goalscorers Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri were fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,000) each and warned by FIFA but escaped bans over their goal celebrations during Friday’s 2-1 victory in Kaliningrad.

The two players, who are ethnic Albanians and of Kosovar heritage, celebrated with a gesture which appeared to imitate the eagle displayed on Albania’s flag. They are seven players in the Swiss squad at the World Cup whose roots are in the former Yugoslavia, plus coach Vladimir Petkovic.

Serbia refuses to recognise the independence of its former province Kosovo, whose 1.8 million people are mostly ethnic Albanians, which broke away 10 years ago, and opposed Kosovo’s ultimately successful bid to join FIFA.

FIFA, world soccer’s ruling body, and its European counterpart UEFA ensure that Serbia and Kosovo are kept apart when making draws for European competitions.

“Of course we are happy that no one is suspended but it is matter that goes a lot deeper and we should spend a little more time (discussing it) but now is not the right time,” said Behrami, who was born in Kosovo.

Xhaka and Shaqiri’s behavior divided opinions in Switzerland with some politicians defending them and others saying they felt their goals were scored by Kosovo rather than Switzerland.