Julius OkorieEngland international, Jude Bellingham, has avoided immediate match ban at the ongoing Euro 2024 championship in Germany after UEFA opted to delay the match ban for a year.
Bellingham seemed to make a gesture with his hand toward his crotch after scoring an overhead kick to level the score on June 30 as England went on to win 2-1 in extra time
Join our WhatsApp ChannelBellingham will thus be available for England’s game against Switzerland on Saturday for a place in the semifinals after UEFA on Friday imposed a one-game ban but said it “is not immediately enforced and is subject to a probationary period” of a year.
The Real Madrid midfielder will however pay a fine of 30,000 euros ($32,500).
UEFA said the punishment was “for violating the basic rules of decent conduct” in the Slovakia game.
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Bellingham’s goal with about 80 seconds left in the game saved England from a humiliating exit in the first knockout round.
Bellingham previously denied suggestions he gestured toward the Slovakia bench.
“An inside joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game. Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight,” Bellingham wrote on X.
UEFA also fined England a total of 11,000 euros ($11,900) for crowd disturbances and the “lighting of fireworks” during the Slovakia game.
England who were finalists at the 2020 edition losing to eventual champions Italy at the Wembley, are hoping to make it to the final again while dreaming that this time the trophy will come home as they have always hoped.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
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