Vida goes wild after win
Moscow, July 8: Croatia defender Domagoj Vida faced possible disciplinary sanctions from FIFA after posting a clip dedicating his country’s victory over Russia in the World Cup quarterfinal to Ukraine. Vida scored an extratime goal and one of Croatia’s penalties in a 4-3 shootout win over the World Cup hosts in Sochi on Saturday. Some Russian officials are calling on FIFA to take the toughest measures possible against the Balkan country. The ponytailed 29year-old shouted “Glory to Ukraine!” in a video posted by former Croatia international Ognjen Vukojevic shortly after the match.
The two both spent parts of their careers playing for Ukraine’s Dynamo Kyiv.
FIFA said it was investigating. “FIFA is processing the different reports of the said match as well as potential evidence concerning the matter referred to in your message,” a FIFA spokesperson said, adding, “Until we have evaluated all information available, we cannot comment.”
Vida later told Russian media that he meant no offence. “It love Russian people. It was just a joke,” Vida was quoted as saying.
“Glory to Ukraine!” was a slogan of the former Soviet republic’s pro-EU revolution that toppled a Russianbacked president in 2014.
The revolt was condemned as illegal by Moscow and sparked a crisis in relations between the two neighbouring states.
— AFP