The pitch invader who entered the field of play during Portugal's World Cup victory over Uruguay has claimed he has been released without any further action being taken.
Mario Ferri raced onto the pitch during the second half of last night's fixture, sporting a t-shirt with the words 'Save Ukraine' on the front and 'Respect for Iranian Women' on the back. He also carried a rainbow flag, which was left on the ground before later being picked up and removed by the referee.
This comes after the controversy surrounding the 'OneLove' armbands, which were due to be worn by the captains of six countries before the show of solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community was controversially ditched after being threatened by action from tournament organisers FIFA.
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Sharing an update on his situation after being escorted out of of the stadium, Ferri wrote on Instagram : "So many emotions right now. No legal consequence. I am free." In a separate post, he added: "I will call it 'the last dance' - my last run on a playing field. I wanted to send important messages for me that I have lived on my skin in the past months."
A statement from the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for Qatar 2022 said: "Following the pitch invasion that took place during last night's Portugal vs Uruguay match, we can confirm that the individual involved was released shortly after being removed from the pitch. His embassy has been informed.
"As a consequence of his actions, and as is standard practice, his Hayya Card (an entry permit to the state of Qatar and World Cup matches) has been cancelled and he has been banned from attending future matches at this tournament."
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