Days after Cristiano Ronaldo removed a Coca Cola bottle from the speaker’s table at a Euro 2020 press conference, UEFA have responded telling teams they have contractual obligations towards tournament sponsors.
“UEFA has reminded participating teams that partnerships are integral to the delivery of the tournament and to ensuring the development of football across Europe, including for youth and women,” the tournament organisers said on Thursday.
Ronaldo moved Coca-Cola bottles aside when he sat down to speak to the media on the eve of Tuesday’s Group F opener against Hungary in Budapest.
The 36-year-old then held up a bottle of water and said “Agua” in Portuguese, making headlines.
The very next day, France midfielder Paul Pogba, who is a Muslim, removed a Heineken beer bottle from in front of him after France’s 1-0 win over Germany.
Euro 2020 tournament director Martin Kallen said the main issue had been with Ronaldo’s action but there was an understanding of players who did such things for religious reasons.
Kallen told reporters the contractual obligations regarding sponsors were part of the tournament regulations signed up to by the national federations.
UEFA has not taken any disciplinary action over the matter and Kallen said any sanctions would be a matter for federations. UEFA did not intend to directly fine players, he added.
(With Reuters inputs)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)