UEFA’s Dilemma: Navigating Politics and Freedom of Expression in Euro 2024UEFA’s Dilemma: Navigating Politics and Freedom of Expression in Euro 2024 Despite UEFA’s efforts to avoid political controversies during Euro 2024, issues concerning freedom of expression have surfaced, highlighting the complex relationship between sports and politics. Kosovar Journalist’s Suspension One notable incident involved Kosovar journalist Arlind Sadiku, who was banned for displaying an Albanian eagle sign at Serbian fans during a broadcast. Sadiku claimed the gesture was a response to childhood trauma during the Kosovo War. The incident sparked debate about the limits of freedom of expression and the history of conflict between Serbia and Kosovo. Balkan Tensions Other freedom of speech concerns arose from Balkan countries. Allegations of hate speech were made by Serbia, Croatia, and Kosovo, reflecting the tense relationships among the nations. UEFA initiated investigations and issued charges for inappropriate displays and messages. Global Conflicts The tournament also addressed global conflicts. Calls to ban Israel over its actions in Gaza were rejected by UEFA, while Russia was suspended for its invasion of Ukraine. These decisions raised questions about the criteria for regulating political expression in football. Blanket Bans and Flag Restrictions German authorities banned all flags except those of participating teams to prevent potential conflicts over Palestinian and Israeli flags. This move raises concerns about limiting support for Ukraine and the right to free speech. Conclusion While UEFA sought to steer clear of politics, Euro 2024 has demonstrated that football is inseparable from global issues and freedom of expression. Blanket bans and restrictions on speech must be carefully considered to balance the right to dissent with the need for safety and respect. Incidents like Sadiku’s suspension and the ongoing tensions in the Balkans remind us that sports and politics are intertwined and must be navigated with sensitivity and nuance.
Following the controversy surrounding the 2022 World Cup, which saw host body FIFA come under fire for its decision to stage one of the world’s biggest sporting events in Qatar, a state with a poor human rights record, the governing body UEFA has sought to steer clear of any politics during this summer’s European Championships.
This year’s competition – which is still ongoing – has emphasised a message of unity, togetherness and inclusivity. UEFA is determined to avoid the negative press FIFA received two years ago by remaining silent on political issues.
But no matter how hard you try, politics cannot be removed from football. A number of issues concerning freedom of speech have caused UEFA headaches during the tournament, showing that censorship can be experienced anywhere, even when you try to avoid it.
One of the most striking examples of the restriction of freedom of expression during Euro 2024 was the case of Kosovar journalist Arlind Sadiku. UEFA banned him from reporting on the remainder of the tournament after he pointed an Albanian eagle sign at Serbian fans during a broadcast.
Sadiku’s home state of Kosovo has a population that is 93% ethnic Albanian and the countries have strong ties. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo’s independence and there is a history of conflict between the two countries, with relations remaining tense since the end of the brutal Kosovo War in 1999. The eagle symbol created by Sadiku, which represents the symbol on the flag of Albania, was deemed provocative by UEFA.
Sadiku told the Guardian: “People don’t know how I felt at that moment because I have trauma from the war. My house was bombed in the middle of the night when I was a child.
“I know it was unprofessional from a journalist’s perspective, but it was traumatic for me to see my family in that situation and I can’t forget it.”
The conflict between Serbia and Kosovo has previously led to issues with freedom of expression in sports. In 2021, a Kosovo boxing team was denied entry to Serbia for the AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships. A similar story unfolded at the 2022 European Under-21 Table Tennis Championships, held in Belgrade, as Kosovo athletes were again barred by Serbian authorities.
Even in football, this has long been an issue. At the 2018 World Cup, Swiss duo Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka were charged by FIFA for both performing the eagle salute after scoring for Switzerland against Serbia. They were both fined £7,600 for their celebrations.
Granit Xhaka’s father spent more than three years as a political prisoner in Yugoslavia for his support for Kosovo’s independence and Xherdan Shaqiri came to Switzerland as a refugee and could not return to visit his family because of the war. Such a context was again not enough to mitigate the players’ actions, according to FIFA.
Of course, an argument could be made that the symbol created by Sadiku, Shaqiri and Xhaka was inflammatory and risked causing upset among fans, potentially posing a safety risk. However, if those who have personally experienced persecution are then punished for peacefully protesting, then there is certainly no room for any form of dissent in sport.
Many of the other conversations about freedom of speech during Euro 2024 have focused on Balkan countries.
Jovan Surbatovic, general secretary of the Football Association of Serbia, suggested that the country could withdraw from the tournament altogether due to hate speech he said was uttered by fans of Croatia and Albania. Serbia itself has been the subject of a number of complaints – they were charged by UEFA after supporters displayed a banner with a “provocative message that was not appropriate for a sporting event”, while the Football Association of Kosovo also filed a complaint about their fans spreading “political, chauvinistic and racist messages” declaring their supremacy to Kosovo. An Albanian player, Mirlind Daku, was given a two-match ban for joining in anti-Serb chants by fans after their draw with Croatia.
When countries have such complex relationships and histories outside of football, it can easily spill over onto the pitch. The heightened emotion and passion of sport makes for compelling viewing, but it can also heighten tensions between countries. In such a complex context, it can be difficult to know where to draw the line between the right to freedom of expression and protection from hate speech.
Global conflicts have raised more thorny issues – when calls were made to ban Israel from Euro 2024 over its ongoing bombardment of Gaza – which has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians – in response to Hamas attacks on October 7, UEFA refused. Niv Goldstein, chief executive of the Israel Football Association, told Sky News: “I trust FIFA will not involve politics in football. We are against the involvement of politicians in football and involvement in political affairs in sport in general.”
This does not quite square with the fact that UEFA banned Russia from the competition shortly after their invasion of Ukraine, which highlights the difficulties of determining where to draw the line when regulating political speech and expression in football. UEFA were spared the headache of dealing with further protests at the tournament after Israel failed to qualify.
Similar concerns were raised when German authorities decided that only flags of participating teams would be allowed in stadiums, a move widely seen as an attempt to avoid potential conflict over Palestinian and Israeli flags but raising concerns that it would limit support for Ukraine. Blanket bans are often hard to reconcile with the idea of free speech.
Football can never be completely separated from politics. Just look at the case of Georgian MP Beka Davituliani, who used the country’s shock victory over Portugal as a weapon in his bid to roll back human rights, arguing that the country needed to be defended from so-called LGBTQ+ propaganda, much like Giorgi Mamardashvili’s own cause. In general, fans and players have been able to express themselves freely, but we have a duty to raise any issues when they arise – and unfortunately, that’s what happened at this summer’s tournament.
