Albania has been awarded a victory over Serbia by the top sports court on Friday in a reversal of a UEFA sanction over a soccer game that was abandoned when a drone with a political banner flew into the stadium.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport decided that Albania had not refused to play on in a hostile atmosphere in Belgrade in October as European football’s governing body had initially ruled.
CAS ruled that Serbia was responsible for the European Championship qualifier not being completed and had to forfeit the match. Serbia had been awarded a default 3-0 victory by UEFA but then deducted three points and ordered to play its next two qualifiers in an empty stadium.
Serbia has still been deducted three points but now Albania has been awarded the 3-0 win in the Euro 2016 qualifying group.Based on the CAS ruling, Albania will now be level on 10 points with second-place Denmark in Group I, which is led by Portugal. Serbia will now be last, with minus two points.
CAS did, however, confirm UEFA’s ruling that Albania was responsible for the drone carrying an Albanian nationalist banner hovering above the field in the Serbian capital. UEFA’s decision to fine both federations 100,000 euros ($112,000) was also upheld by CAS as Serbia’s appeal was completely dismissed.
Tensions between the countries were fueled by Kosovo – an ethnic Albanian-dominated province – declaring independence from Serbia in 2008.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama wrote on Facebook. ”That is European justice! 3 points for the Red-and-Black National Team in Belgrade!!!”
The Oct. 14 match was stopped before halftime when the drone appeared in Belgrade, prompting clashes among players and Serbian fans attacking Albania team members.CAS said it was unable to confirm that the referee issued a ”clear, direct and unconditional order to the players to resume the match on the basis of a definite decision that safety had been assured.”
”The panel found that the match stoppage and the eventual abandonment of the match were caused by security lapses of the organizers and acts of violence exerted on the Albanian players by the Serbian fans and at least one security steward,” CAS said.
The Balkan countries are scheduled for a return match in Albania on Oct. 8.
”Justice is in its place,” Albania coach Giovanni de Biasi said. ”I am very happy, of course because when justice triumphs everybody is happy.