Jude Bellingham is set to play against Switzerland on Saturday after being fined €30,000 (£25,400) and receiving a suspended one-match ban from UEFA for a lewd gesture following his goal in England's dramatic equalizer against Slovakia.
Bellingham was seen on TV kissing his right hand before making a crotch-grabbing gesture. He explained it was an inside joke aimed at close friends who were at the game and not directed at the Slovakia bench.
UEFA’s control, ethics, and disciplinary body found him guilty of “violating the basic rules of decent conduct.” His ban is suspended for a year, pending any further incidents. UEFA also fined the Football Association €10,000 for crowd disturbances and €1,000 for fireworks lit by England fans during the same match.
In another decision, UEFA banned Turkey’s Merih Demiral for two matches for a politically charged “wolf” celebration after his second goal in Turkey’s last-16 victory over Austria. The gesture is linked to the right-wing extremist nationalist group Grey Wolves. UEFA stated he was being punished for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct and bringing the sport into disrepute.
Demiral and the Turkish government defended the gesture as a normal expression of patriotic pride. Turkey’s ambassador to Germany was summoned to the foreign ministry in Berlin over the salute.
