UEFA has just opened a disciplinary investigation against Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic who scored a goal Sunday against North Macedonia at the Euro.
Media had assured that he had insulted the Leeds defender of this selection, Ezgjan Alioski, referring to his Albanian origins.
UEFA opened a disciplinary investigation on Tuesday against Austrian Marko Arnautovic, who admitted on Sunday to have uttered invectives during the country's victory at the Euro against North Macedonia (3-1).
The European body has appointed "an ethics and disciplinary inspector" to investigate "the incident" involving the 32-year-old Austrian midfielder, UEFA said in a statement, without giving further details on the sanction incurred.
This is the first stage of the disciplinary procedure, intended to establish the facts, while UEFA has not yet indicated what violation of its regulations could be blamed on Marko Arnautovic.
The content of the comments not revealed
But if the player of Serbian origin apologized on Instagram on Monday to his "friends from North Macedonia and Albania", referring to "heated exchanges yesterday in the emotion of the game", he did not reveal the content of his remarks. Several media had assured that he had insulted Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski, referring to his Albanian origins, after scoring the third goal of the match won 3-1 by "Das Team" on Sunday in Bucharest. In televised footage of the match, his teammate David Alaba struggles to silence him as the Austrian players celebrate the goal.
"I would like to say one thing very clearly: I AM NOT RACIST!", Arnautovic insisted on Monday, saying "defending diversity".
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Let's forget about it, it's not part of football," he also told reporters, according to comments reported by Austrian agency APA.
Ezgjan Alioski had still not reacted Monday evening, but the Football Federation of North Macedonia (FFM) condemned the incident.
North Macedonia Football Federation calls for "very severe fine"
"We have sent an official letter to UEFA asking for a very severe fine for player Marko Arnautovic," FFM said in a written statement. The disciplinary body had imposed in April ten suspension matches on Czech defender Ondrej Kudela for "racist behavior" in the round of 16 of the Europa League against Glasgow Rangers, a sanction much heavier than for a simple insult, depriving him of the Euro.