Rodri and Alvaro Morata, key figures in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, are under investigation by UEFA following a controversial chant during a public celebration in Madrid. The chant, “Gibraltar is Spanish,” has sparked a formal complaint from the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA).
Details of the Incident
During the celebration on July 15, 2024, in Madrid, Manchester City midfielder Rodri, who was named the player of the tournament, and striker Alvaro Morata, who recently moved to AC Milan from Atletico Madrid, participated in the chant. This led to immediate backlash and a formal complaint by the GFA to UEFA.
UEFA’s Response
UEFA has responded by appointing an ethics and disciplinary inspector to evaluate the potential violation of their disciplinary regulations. A statement from UEFA confirmed that the investigation is centered on Article 11 (c) of their regulations, which prohibits the use of sporting events for non-sporting manifestations.
“A UEFA ethics and disciplinary inspector is being appointed to evaluate a potential violation of the UEFA disciplinary regulations by the players Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante and Alvaro Morata in the context of conduct that occurred during the public presentation of the Euro 2024 trophy in Madrid on July 15, 2024,” UEFA stated. “Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course.”
Gibraltar FA’s Reaction
The GFA has expressed deep offense at the chant, emphasizing Gibraltar’s status as a British Overseas Territory and the Gibraltarians’ repeated democratic decisions to remain so. The GFA highlighted that such conduct undermines their existence as an independent national member association of UEFA.
“The conduct in question is deeply offensive to Gibraltarians, who have repeatedly exercised their democratic rights to remain a British Overseas Territory. While Gibraltar has a border with Spain, and values its close cooperative relationship with Spain and the Spanish people, it is and remains a British Overseas Territory,” the GFA stated. “The conduct is also deeply offensive to the Gibraltar FA since it implies we should not exist as an independent national member association of UEFA.”
Implications and Next Steps
The UEFA investigation could lead to disciplinary action against Rodri and Morata. The specifics of the potential penalties are yet to be determined, but the situation underscores the sensitivity of political expressions in sporting contexts. Further updates will be provided as UEFA continues its investigation.