Croatian Supporters’ Group Promise Further Disruption to Euro 2016

A leading Croatian supporters' group has promised further disruption to Euro 2016, calling for "structural changes in the Croatian Football Federation and the departure of leading people within the organisation."

Towards the end of their country's clash with the Czech Republic on Friday evening, Croatia fans caused a temporary suspension to play after throwing flares and firecrackers onto the pitch at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. One was seen to explode in a steward's face, as fighting broke out among different factions in the stands.

Afterwards, Croatia coach Ante Cacic referred to the perpetrators as "sports terrorists" and called for tough punishments for those involved. The Croatian Football Federation has now been hit with separate charges of use of fireworks, throwing of objects, crowd disturbance and racist behaviour, the latter stemming from evidence of fascist banners in the Croatia end.

One Croatian fan group has now hit back, however. Torcida Split 1950 – a Hadjuk Split supporters' association – has issued an official statement accusing the federation of corruption and pledging further disturbances unless senior figures resign.

The statement reads: "Employees of the Croatian Football Federation have, in recent days, repeatedly called out our fan group as organisers of the terrorist attack (as they called eight flares thrown onto the pitch) on the State of Croatia.

"However, their reaction to the hooligans from their own ranks – who hide in their hospitality boxes despite having been accused of multimillion-dollar financial fraud – has always been to respect the presumption of innocence and let the institutions of the state do their job."

Several officials have been charged in corruption cases in recent months, including Zdravko Mamic and Damir Vrbanovic, vice president and executive director of the Croatian Football Federation respectively. They are deeply unpopular among many fans of the national team, and there has been a long campaign to have them removed via the legal system.

Torcida's statement continues: "They have thrown sticks and stones at our fans, but applied a different rule to themselves. This is hypocrisy at its worst.

"Is throwing flares the right way to combat the federation and its leading men? Maybe not. Nonetheless, it is obvious that some fans have lost faith in their ability to change society through legal means.

"Structural changes in the Croatian Football Federation and the departure of leading people are the only possible solution for Croatian football, and the only things that can ensure peaceful coexistence between our fans and the federation. Anything else will lead to further chaos."