By Zjan Shirinian

Croatian defender Josip Simunic will miss the FIFA World Cup after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected his appeal against a ban for making pro-Nazi chants.

He will serve a 10-match ban, starting with his side's first group stage game against host nation Brazil.

FIFA imposed the ban after he addressed fans at the end of Croatia's playoff tie with Iceland in Zagreb in November, which the home side won 2-0 to qualify for the World Cup.

Standing in the centre of the pitch with a microphone in his hands, he told fans "U boj, u boj", translated as "To the battle", and "za dom", translated as "For the homeland".

The fans replied by shouting "Spremni" - "We are ready."

In upholding the ban, the CAS said: "The FIFA instances identified such words as being the war call used by the Ustaše, the Croatian pro-Nazi regime that ruled the state during World War II before being dissolved in May 1945 and found the player guilty of offending the dignity of a group of persons by using discriminatory words.

"[In his appeal] the player stated that he did not have the intention to offend or discriminate anyone but that he wanted to share his patriotic emotions with the fans after such an important success.

"The CAS arbitrators in charge of this matter unanimously rejected the arguments of the player and dismissed his appeal.

"They confirmed that the expression used by Simunic was a clear and unequivocal reference to the call used by the Ustaše and that such expression has to be sanctioned in accordance with Article 58 para. 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code."

The Croatian team, pictured here ahead of their second leg playoff clash with Iceland, will head to Brazil without Josip Simunic in the squad ©AFP/Getty Images





As part of the ban, Simunic cannot enter the confines of the stadiums for the 10 matches he is banned for, and has also been fined CHF 30,000 (£20,000/$33,700/€24,500).

Croatia, whose best result in a World Cup came in 1998 when they finished third, open the tournament when they face hosts Brazil on June 12.

They have also been drawn with Mexico and Cameroon in Group A

FIFA welcomed the decision of the CAS, adding it has a "firm zero-tolerance stance against any form of discrimination and racism".

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