UEFA Rules for Romania: 3-0 Forfeit Win Over Kosovo, Yet Hefty Fine

The UEFA Appeals Committee delivered its decision five days after the match between Romania and Kosovo, the penultimate match in the Nations League group stage. A few minutes before the final whistle, the Kosovo players complained of discriminatory behaviour by Romanian fans and left the pitch without the referee’s permission and without returning from the changing rooms. The match was then suspended.

The Kosovo federation was fined 6,000 euros and the team lost the match at the penalty kick because the players left the pitch. With this penalty kick victory, Romania won all six matches in the Nations League and finished the group with 18 points. Kosovo finished in second place, with 12 points.

Among the allegations brought against Romania and analyzed by the commission, were racist/discriminatory behavior, throwing objects and lighting pyrotechnic objects, using lasers to distract players, as well as actions of disturbance during the singing of the anthems.

The UEFA also decided to fine the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) 50 thousand euros and to order the playing of a home match without spectators, but for xenophobic chants directed at Hungary.

A fine of 30 thousand euros was also issued for displaying provocative political messages, a fine of 9,000 euros for throwing objects onto the playing field, a fine of 4,500 euros for igniting pyrotechnic objects, a fine of 8,000 euros for fans using laser pointers, a fine of 12,500 euros for booing during the anthems, and a fine of 14 thousand euros for blocking public walkways.

Romania’s national football coach, Mircea Lucescu, reacted shortly after UEFA’s decision regarding the Romania – Kosovo match abandoned by the visitors in the final minutes of the game. “It’s a political decision not to upset anyone,” said Mircea Lucescu, according to digisport.ro.

“The way they behaved and the cabin they destroyed and trashed. It’s not normal, I respect the players, but they also had to respect the idea of ​​sportsmanship. It was normal, there could be no other decision. Any team that leaves the field shows a lack of respect and fair play. It’s a political decision not to upset anyone. I’ve said since then that this is how it will happen. You shouldn’t encourage this. Later, another team can do the same. Unfortunately, things happened this way. They have to take it into account, they have to be part of the football team, they have to support the team and that’s all,” Mircea Lucescu told Digisport.

The coach expressed his regret that Romania’s fans will not be able to come to the next national team match and that the team will have to play with an empty stadium.

“How do I feel as a coach of the national team playing with an empty stadium? We have to think, this is the big loss. It doesn’t matter that I received 50,000 euros, the people who want to come to the stadium and can’t, that’s it. This is the big loss. This money could have been used for children. I’m thinking that we’re going to play with an empty stadium, who knows what the match will be like. We were fined over 500,000 euros, think of it that way. For what? Because a group chanted and the other fans are suffering. A team made fun of us and made us stand in the cold for an hour because they didn’t want to play for two more minutes. They thought they could turn this into a positive problem. Where was the racism? Lots of lies, they weren’t offended. The behavior was excellent”, said Mircea Lucescu, at the Digi Sport League.