The Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) has filed an appeal against UEFA's decision to impose a fine in connection with the chanting of Russian President Vladimir Putin by fans during a Euro 2024 qualifying match. According to reports, this decision caused surprise in Lithuania, as such fines had not been imposed before.
The president of the LFF, Edgaras Stankevičius, expressed confidence that the fine will be lifted and expressed surprise at the report of the UEFA delegate from Kazakhstan after the match with Serbia. "This is the first time we have received a fine for this call. Previously, we were fined for other violations, for other shouts from fans, for using posters and symbols during matches, but the fine for the phrase "Putin is a h**lo" is the first time. A delegate from Kazakhstan was present at the match with Serbia, and it was he who included this call in his report. All fans and all of Lithuania support this call. I am not so much surprised by the fact of the fine as by the participation of the delegate from Kazakhstan. In general, Europe adheres to common values, and when there is a person who tries to violate this unanimity, and we are fined, it seems strange to me," Stankevičius said.
In addition, it is worth noting that UEFA strives to maintain a sports atmosphere in stadiums and prevent manifestations of political or racist characters during football events. Recently, the organization has increased controls and penalties in this area to ensure compliance with this policy.
Despite the LFF's appeal and dissatisfaction with UEFA's decision, this situation emphasizes the importance of respecting the principles of respect and observing sports norms at international events.
