Jim Stjerne Hansen, DBU’s managing director, said it was the length of the celebration that went over the line.
‘To mix religion and sport to such a degree was almost like creating a manifestation of a religious standpoint,’ he told Politiken newspaper. ‘And just as we don’t allow politics to be a part of the sport, we should also say no to religion.’
After Sunday’s match, most of the Brazilian team gathered in a circle on the pitch, where they thanked God and Jesus for the victory, with some players wearing T-shirts with Christian messages printed on them.
International football authority FIFA would not comment specifically on Sunday’s demonstration, but its rules strictly forbid any advertisement of political or religious beliefs.
