World football's governing body, FIFA, has opened disciplinary proceedings against Switzerland players Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri after they celebrated their goals against Serbia by performing an 'Albanian double-headed eagle' salute.
Both Xhaka and Shaqiri are of Albanian-Kosovan heritage and the salutes that they both performed after their goals in a 2-1 win are thought to be a reference to that. They had been attracting quite a lot of negative attention, including booing from the Serbian fans.
Shaqiri also played while wearing boots that bear the flags of both Switzerland and Kosovo on them during the Group E clash in Kaliningrad. His last-minute goal proved the winner, after Xhaka had scored to cancel out Aleksandar Mitrovic's opener for the Serbs.
Albania and Serbia have had poor relations for hundreds of years, but particularly in recent times as a result of the Kosovan conflict in the 1990s.
After the game had finished, the Serbian FA said that they would be making a complaint about both players' actions to FIFA.
Article 54 of FIFA's disciplinary code states that "anyone who provokes the general public during a match will be suspended for two matches and sanctioned with a minimum fine of 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,800)."
FIFA are thought to be planning to bring several experts to a panel to determine whether the gesture is indeed provocative.
If found guilty, both players will be unavailable for the final group game and any potential round of 16 tie that Switzerland would face.
On Saturday, FIFA said: "In relation to the same match, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Serbian FA for crowd disturbance and the display of political and offensive messages by Serbian fans.
"Furthermore, a preliminary investigation has been opened against the coach of the Serbian national team, Mladen Krstajic, for alleged statements made in the aftermath of the said match."
Whilst we are not sure what the investigation into the Serbian manager, Krstajic, is for, he made disparaging comments about the match referee, Felix Brych.
He said: "I wouldn't give him either a yellow or red card, I would send him to The Hague [the International Court of Justice]. Then they could put him on trial, like they did to us."
Switzerland's manager, who is himself of Bosnian heritage, said: "You should never mix football and politics. It's important to be a fan, and to give respect.
"It was a wonderful atmosphere and that's what support should be about."
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Russia 2018, FIFA, World Cup