Bellingham avoids immediate ban from UEFA for offensive gesture, Demiral suspended for two games ahead of EURO quarterfinals
Jude Bellingham has avoided an immediate ban from the UEFA for his offensive goal celebration gesture during England’s Euro 2024 Round of 16 match against Slovakia.
Bellingham is therefore available for England’s quarter-final against Switzerland on Saturday, but not before the UEFA slapped a fine of 30,000 euros ($32,500) and enforced a one-game suspension which the football body stated “is not immediately enforced and is subject to a probationary period.”
Following his match-levelling added-time goal in the 95th minute with an overhead kick, Bellingham landed himself in a controversy. The 21-year-old kissed his right hand and signalled it towards his groin area. The 21-year-old’s actions were not caught by the on-field referee. However, the UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectorate confirmed that they will probe the provocative gesture following a thrilling game that England won in extra-time through captain Harry Kane’s goal.
Meanwhile, Bellingham had defended his actions following the match. “An inside joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game. Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight,” Bellingham posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Bellingham was lauded by manager Gareth Southgate for his acrobatic goal against Slovakia which helped England put behind an underwhelming performance and sneak through to book a quarterfinal berth against Switzerland.
“His world is different to pretty much every other 21-year-old in the world… what he can provide are these moments where he grabs things by the scruff of the neck and his character and his personality creates moments that can change a big game,” Southgate remarked.
Demiral suspended
Meanwhile, the UEFA has also confirmed that Turkey’s Merih Demiral will be suspended for two matches after making a controversial gesture in his side’s 2-1 win over Austria in the Round of 16 on Tuesday. Demiral scored both goals for Turkey and landed in trouble for the celebration after his second goal.
Demiral made a sign with each hand that is used by Turkish nationalists and associated with the Turkish ultra-nationalist organization Ulku Ocaklari, which is more widely known as the Gray Wolves. UEFA stated Demiral was handed the ban “for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute.”
Turkey is slated to face the Netherlands in the quarterfinal on Saturday in Berlin.
With AP Inputs
