UPDATE: Vida will be available for selection against England after getting away with just a warning.
FIFA are investigating Croatia defender Domagoj Vida after he appeared to make anti-Russian comments following his country’s quarter-final win over the World Cup hosts.
Vida scored an extra-time header to put Croatia 2-1 ahead before Russia hit back to force a penalty shootout. Croatia won 4-3 on penalties to set-up a semi-final meeting with England.
However, Vida may not be available for that game following confirmation that FIFA are looking into comments he made in a social media video.
In the video, Vida shouts out “glory to Ukraine” alongside former Croatia international Ognjen Vukojevic. “Glory to Ukraine” is widely used by anti-Russian Ukrainian nationalists following the 2014 Maidan coup.
Vukojevic added: “This victory is for Dynamo and Ukraine.”
Хорват Вида поприветствовал Украину после победы над Россиейhttps://t.co/NvWW90zDJu pic.twitter.com/4uiJHXRZ6C
— Газета.Ru (@GazetaRu) July 7, 2018
FIFA released a statement confirming an investigation into Vida’s conduct.
“FIFA is processing the different reports of the said match as well as potential evidence concerning the matter,” the statement read. “Until we have evaluated all information available, we cannot comment further.”
Political slogans are banned from the game, with Section 54 of FIFA’s disciplinary code stating: “Anyone who provokes the general public during a match will be suspended for two matches and sanctioned with a minimum fine of CHF 5,000 (£3,800).”
Vida later brushed it off as a ‘joke.’
“It’s a joke,” the Besiktas defender said. “I’ve got friends there since I joined Dynamo Kyiv, I didn’t mean anything else.
“I don’t why Russian fans might not get it. I like Russian people. It was just a joke.”
