‘Next question’: Serbia’s response to World Cup flag probe

DOHA (AFP) — Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic refused to comment on FIFA’s investigation into a flag controversy on Sunday as his side prepare for a crucial World Cup clash with Cameroon.

Football’s world governing body launched the probe following a complaint from Kosovo’s football federation over a version of the Serbian flag hung in their dressing room in Qatar before their opening defeat to Brazil.

It featured a map including Kosovo as part of Serbia and the slogan “there will be no surrender.”

Asked about the controversy by AFP during Serbia’s press conference for Monday’s Group G match, Stojkovic said “Next question. No comment.”

Kosovo is a former Yugoslav province with an Albanian majority which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but is not recognised by Belgrade.

It became a member of both FIFA and European governing body UEFA in 2016.

On Friday, Kosovo’s sports minister Hajrulla Ceku said the flag was “disgraceful” and claimed it displayed “hateful, xenophobic and genocidal messages.”

However Stojkovic and goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic preferred to speak about a hugely important match which could be key to Serbia’s future at the World Cup.

Defeat to Cameroon would end Serbia’s chances of reaching the last 16 if Brazil also fail to beat Switzerland, but Stojkovic has been boosted by winger Filip Kostic being available after the Juventus winger missed the defeat to Brazil due to an injury.