Croatia PM urges UEFA not to be harsh over swastika incident
Croatia's prime minister has called on UEFA to refrain from severely punishing the country's national team after a swastika pattern appeared on the pitch during a European Championship qualifier against Italy last month.
Zoran Milanovic said in a letter Wednesday to UEFA President Michel Platini that "draconian sanctions" would "destroy the national team" and that the swastika incident was directed against the Croatian Football Association, which has become embroiled in a dispute with local fans.
A tough sanction by European football's ruling body "would imprint a permanent scar on the souls of Croatian fans and damage soccer in Croatia in the long term," Milanovic said.
He also said that police were close to finding the culprits.
