CAS upholds FIFA sanctions for discrimination in Šimunić case

FIFA has welcomed the decision issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case involving the Croatian international Josip Šimunić who was sanctioned by FIFA for displaying discriminatory behaviour following the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ European play-off match between Croatia and Iceland played in Zagreb, Croatia, on 19 November 2013.

CAS has fully confirmed the decision rendered by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 12 December 2013 which saw Šimunić suspended for ten official matches, banned from entering the confines of the stadiums for those ten matches and fined CHF 30,000. The first matches of the ten-match suspension have to be served during the final competition of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

Šimunić initially appealed the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to the FIFA Appeal Committee, which upheld the sanctions, before subsequently appealing at CAS.

With this decision, FIFA considers that CAS gives a clear and strong support to FIFA’s efforts in stamping out racism in football.

FIFA’s firm zero-tolerance stance against any form of discrimination and racism is enshrined in its statutes in article 3 and further developed, among other Regulations, in the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

The resolution on the fight against racism and discrimination, which was approved at the FIFA Congress in May 2013, advocates the need for strict punishments to send out a strong message that discrimination has no place in the game.

FIFA also works closely with its member associations around the world to educate and inspire a message of equality and respect.

FIFA.com Media Release