England have been fined € 30,000 by UEFA for three separate charges following their semi-final win over Denmark, including the use of a laser pointer against goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
As Schmeichel prepares to face Harry Kane’s penalty during the first half of extra time in Wednesday night’s clash, a green laser could be seen pointing at the Danish stopper’s eyes.
After the match, Schmeichel confirmed that he was aware of the obstacle but said that it only affected him in the second half of the semifinals, and not during Kane’s penalty.
Regardless of when the laser affected the Leicester man, UEFA did not surprisingly announce shortly after the match that charges would be brought against England, and they have now confirmed that they have been fined 30,000 euros for the crimes.
The fine includes punishment for the Wembley audience cheering for the Danish national anthem before the firing, as well as lighting fireworks by England fans.
A number of high-profile employees have since taken to social media to demand that England fans not care about the Italian national anthem at Sunday’s final, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman even condemning the actions involved.
There seemed to be a laser that pointed to Kasper Schmeichel moments before Kane’s penalty that won while there was a second ball on the field during play. pic.twitter.com/xAQgNYwOi8
– ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 8, 2021
“We do not want fans to be booing teams,” the spokesman (via BBC Sport) said. “We want the fans to show support and be respectful.
After the match, the FA conducted an investigation together with UEFA officials in an attempt to determine which crowd was responsible for pointing the laser at Schmeichel, even though they could not find the perpetrator.
The Danish FA was asked if they wanted to make an official complaint after the incident, but they confirmed that they did not want to take any further action.
So far, the matter is considered closed, but the Met police have indicated that the trial can be considered a criminal case but refused to comment while UEFA’s investigation is ongoing.
