Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings over Dele Alli’s middle-finger gesture during Monday’s win against Slovakia - and the midfielder is in danger of receiving a ban.
Some pundits believe Alli was aiming the gesture - caught on camera during the World Cup qualifying victory at Wembley - at match referee Clement Turpin. The 21-year-old insisted on Twitter that the gesture “was a joke between me and my good friend Kyle Walker”.
When asked about the incident, England manager Gareth Southgate played down the drama, saying Alli and Walker were “messing about” and that they have a “strange way of communicating”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Daily Telegraph reports that if the sport’s world governing body does charge Alli, he could be punished under Article 57 of the Fifa disciplinary code.
The code reads: “Anyone who insults someone in any way, especially by using offensive gestures or language, or who violates the principles of fair play or whose behaviour is unsporting in any other way may be subject to sanctions in accordance with art. 10 ff.”
Fifa told the Telegraph that if the disciplinary committee finds that Alli did breach Article 57, the Tottenham player could receive a fine or a ban. A three-match suspension would see Alli miss England’s last two qualifying matches and, should they progress, the opening match of the World Cup finals.
Earlier this week, The Guardian reported that the Football Association can prove Alli’s one-finger salute was not directed towards the referee.
The FA has until Wednesday to respond to Fifa’s opening of disciplinary proceedings against Alli.
-
August 24 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Putin at Donald Trump's circus, gallons of whitewash, and a foldable cartoon
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in votingCartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugsTalking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
World Cup 2026: uncertainty reigns with one year to goIn the Spotlight US-hosted Fifa tournament has to navigate Trump's travel bans, logistical headaches and an exhausting expanded format
-
The wit and wisdom of Sven-Göran ErikssonIn Depth The first foreign coach to manage England on football, life and death
-
Can England's Euros team hold their nerve?Today's Big Question Three Lions' 'lopsided' opening win over Serbia raises more questions than it answers
-
The England kit: a furore over the flagIn the Spotlight Nike's redesign of the St George's Cross on the collar of the English national team's shirt has caused controversy
-
Lionesses will have regrets but their legacy can be ‘incredible’feature England stars return home after heartbreaking Women’s World Cup final loss to Spain
-
How English women’s football could become a billion pound industryfeature Building on the success of the Lionesses won’t be easy but it is eminently possible
-
Lionesses dig deep after Lauren James’s ‘Beckham-esque’ red cardfeature England reach the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals after a 4-2 win on penalties against Nigeria
-
Curse of the Lionesses: what’s causing spate of England women’s football injuries?Under the Radar Several key players are out of the World Cup, raising concerns about hectic schedules, sub-par pitches and sexism
