The Kosovo Football Federation (KFF) said it had repeatedly warned European football's governing body UEFA about potential provocation by Romanian fans before Friday's Nations League match, which was not completed, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
The match in Bucharest was abandoned in extra time after away players walked off the pitch at 0-0 after hearing pro-Serbian chants from home fans. The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch. UEFA said it would provide "further information in due course".
"Shouts such as "Kosovo is Serbia" and "Serbia, Serbia", booing during the singing of the Kosovo national anthem, throwing hard objects... and other offensive and provocative actions were present throughout the match, creating an unacceptable atmosphere, unsafe for our players," the Kosovo Football Association said in a statement.
"The FK warned the relevant UEFA bodies more than twice in writing about the possibility of such actions, once a few days before the match and then a few minutes before it started. Despite these warnings, Romanian fans continued their irresponsible and discriminatory behavior, forcing the Kosovo national team to leave the field due to lack of safety.“
The FFC also alleged that a Romanian official had “threatened and assaulted” a Kosovo player in the stadium corridors. “For all these serious violations, the FFC immediately reported the incidents to the match delegate and started preparing a full complaint with facts and evidence, which will be submitted to UEFA's disciplinary bodies“, the statement added.
The Romanian Football Federation was fined by UEFA last year for pro-Serbian chants and the display of a banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia“ by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the two teams in Bucharest. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. and is recognized by more than 100 countries, but not by Romania.