Harry Kane (left) and Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham free to face Switzerland after gesture made against Slovakia


England midfielder Jude Bellingham has been cleared to play in the Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland after being given a suspended one-match ban for a gesture he made in the last-16 match against Slovakia.

The Real Madrid star gestured towards the Slovakia bench after scoring an overhead kick to force extra time.

Bellingham insisted in a social media post that the gesture was “an inside joke towards some close friends”, but UEFA opened an investigation on Monday to determine whether the gesture “violated the basic rules of decent conduct”.

UEFA announced on Friday that Bellingham had been fined 30,000 euros (£25,400) and issued with a suspended one-match ban. The ban will be triggered by a further offence within one year, UEFA said.

The Football Association was also fined a total of 11,000 euros (£9,000) for crowd disturbances and the lighting of fireworks by supporters during the Slovakia match.

Merih Demiral, whose brace helped Turkey overcome Austria and book their place in the quarter-finals, has been suspended for two matches over a wolf salute he made towards the crowd at the match in Leipzig on Tuesday.

The salute is recognised as being linked to the far-right movement in Turkey.

UEFA said Demiral had been suspended for “failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute”.


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