Share

Croatia v Italy marred by swastika cross

Split - Croatia's 1-1 Euro 2016 qualifying draw at home to Italy was marred by a racist incident when a swastika cross appeared on the pitch in a match played behind closed doors on Friday.

Imprinted into the grass of the Poljud stadium, the swastika was noticeable in the first half of the Group H fixture played without any fans present after the Croatians had been given a one-match ban for prior offences.

"We apologise to all fans watching the game on television, to both teams and to our guests from Italy for the Nazi symbol," Croatian football association (HNS) press officer Tomislav Pacak told the Balkan country's media.

"As far as we have learned, the symbol was imprinted into the pitch between 24 and 48 hours before the match so that it could be visible during the game.

"This is sabotage and a felony, hence we expect police to identify the perpetrators and we have also notified UEFA.

"This is a disgrace not just for the HNS but for the whole of Croatia. Neither our coach nor players will comment."

Croatia were already being punished for repeated offences by their supporters, who shouted racist slogans during a 5-1 home win over Norway in Zagreb in March.

That came on the back of incidents in last November's 1-1 draw against Italy in Milan, when visiting Croatia fans twice halted play by hurling flares on to the pitch.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1272 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2241 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE