Euro 2021: Austrian Arnautovic suspended a match but not prosecuted for racist insult

A lesser evil for the Austrian Marko Arnautovic.

He will miss Thursday's Group C matchday two against the Netherlands following his one-match suspension imposed on Wednesday by UEFA.

A light sanction since the player who plays in the Chinese championship in Shanghai could have taken much more.

The European body did not accept the racist insult, which would have earned Arnautovic to be dismissed for at least ten matches according to the same regulations, and therefore to leave the Euro.

Instead, the UEFA appeals chamber sanctioned the 32-year-old midfielder for his "misconduct", according to article 15 of its regulations.

"I am not a racist", proclaims Marko Arnautovic

The player of Serbian origin apologized on Instagram on Monday to his "friends from North Macedonia and Albania", referring to "heated exchanges yesterday in the emotion of the game", but without revealing the content of his remarks . Several media had assured that he had insulted Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski, referring to his Albanian origins, after scoring the third goal of the match won 3-1 by "Das Team" on Sunday in Bucharest. In televised footage of the match, his teammate David Alaba struggles to silence him as the Austrian players celebrate the goal.

“I would like to say one thing very clearly: I AM NOT RACIST!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Let’s forget all that, it’s not part of football, ”Arnautovic insisted,“ defending diversity ”in front of journalists, according to comments reported by the Austrian agency APA.

The disciplinary body had imposed in April ten games of suspension on Czech defender Ondrej Kudela for "racist behavior" in the round of 16 of the Europa League against Glasgow Rangers, depriving him of the Euro.