FIVB Suspends Serbian Volleyball Player Who Pulled Slant-Eye Gesture During Match With Thailand

June 9, 2021

Serbian volleyball player Sanja Djurdjevic is now facing disciplinary action for the slant-eye gesture she made during a professional match against Thailand.

The details: In an announcement on Tuesday, the Disciplinary Panel Sub-Committee of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) said Djurdjevic violated the FIVB Disciplinary Regulations when she made the racist gesture on June 1.

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The volleyball player is now suspended for two games. She will miss the June 8 and June 12 matches against Belgium and Canada, respectively.
The Volleyball Federation of Serbia also received a fine of 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,300).
This money will be donated to a cause “dedicated to tackling discriminatory behavior and/or to fund educational programs on cultural sensitivity for the global Volleyball Family.”

What happened: After the online outrage last week, the Volleyball Federation of Serbia posted an apology on Facebook but asked the public not to blow the issue “out of proportion.”

According to the post, Djurdjevic “immediately apologized to the whole Thailand team” after the incident.
Thai player Pleumjit Thinkaow, who was reportedly targeted with the gesture during the match, accepted Djurdjevic’s apology.

Featured Image via @foxblucasx

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