Albania fined after booing French anthem at Euro qualifier

Albania protested and refused to play until the correct music was played, and the game kicked off more than five mi
16 Dec, 2019
  • Albania protested and refused to play until the correct music was played, and the game kicked off more than five minutes late.
  • France were fined 20,000 euros ($22,099) by UEFA for their mistake and President Macron made an official apology for the embarrassing oversight.

NYON, SWITZERLAND: Albania's football federation were fined 5,000 euros by UEFA on Monday after their fans angrily booed the French anthem at a Euro 2020 qualifier in mid-November.

The booing followed a French gaffe at a previous meeting at the Stade de France in September when the visitors were shocked to hear the Andorran anthem played instead of the Himni i Flamurit.

Albania protested and refused to play until the correct music was played, and the game kicked off more than five minutes late.

France were fined 20,000 euros ($22,099) by UEFA for their mistake and President Macron made an official apology for the embarrassing oversight.

At Albania's stade Kombetare in Tirana a luckless local singer was charged with performing a rendition of La Marseillaise, but was drowned out by whistling from a 22,000 crowd.

France won the matches 4-1 and 2-0 respectively, qualifying for the 2020 Euro finals.

 

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