Morata & Rodri charged for âGibraltar is Spanishâ chant
-
Published
Uefa has opened âdisciplinary proceedingsâ against Spain captain Alvaro Morata and team-mate Rodri after they chanted âGibraltar is Spanishâ during their Euro 2024 victory celebrations.
The Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) made an official complaint about the celebrations to Uefa and European footballâs governing body appointed a disciplinary inspector to âevaluate a potential violation of the Uefa disciplinary regulationsâ.
Morata and Rodri have now been charged with âgeneral principles of conduct, violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature, and bringing the sport of football, and Uefa in particular, into disreputeâ.
Uefaâs control, ethics and disciplinary body (CEDB) will make a decision on the issue âin due courseâ.
Gibraltar is an enclave at Spainâs southern tip that has been under British rule since the 18th Century, and Spain has long called for its return.
The chanting took place in front of tens of thousands of Spain fans in Cibeles Square, Madrid on 15 July as players celebrated their 2-1 Euro 2024 final success against England.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri, 28, could be seen chanting âGibraltar is Spanishâ on the stage, and AC Milan striker Morata, 31, later encouraged the crowd to join in with the same chant.
The Gibraltar FA complained about Spainâs behaviour, saying it had ânoted the extremely provocative and insulting nature of the celebrations around the Spanish Menâs national team winning Euro 2024â.
âFootball has no place for behaviour of this nature,â it added.
Gibraltar has been a full member of Uefa since 2013.