The High Misdemeanour Court on Wednesday quashed a ruling by the Split Misdemeanour Court against the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and its executive president Damir Vrbanovic over an incident involving a swastika in the turf ahead of a Croatia and Italy match in June 2015.

The case has been returned to the Split Misdemeanour Court and a hearing has been scheduled for 7 June, the HNS reported.

The statute of limitations could go into force in this case, according to the Telegram news portal if the case isn’t finalised by June 10 which is highly unlikely, according to media outlets.

Vrbanovic was convicted last year pending appeal and fined HRK 5,000 while the federation was fined HRK 50,000 as the responsible legal person and organiser of the football match between Italy and Croatia.

Judge Stipe Roso ruled that under the Act on the Prevention of Rioting at Sporting Events, Vrbanovic and the HNS are guilty of not having inspected the venue and the turf before the match while at the same time acquitting them of not having taken appropriate measures to prevent rioting and violence.

The reason for the sentencing ruling is the failure by the HNS and Vrbanovic to inspect the venue and spot the swastika, which was noticed on the turf only during the first half.

The incident prompted UEFA to fine the HNS EUR 100,000, impose a point deduction for 2014–16 European Football Championship qualifiers and order the HNS to play two home matches behind closed doors.

The police are still looking for the perpetrator or perpetrators of the incident and even though they had footage partly showing a person jumping over the stadium fence, the perpetrators remain unknown.

Under the Act on the Prevention of Rioting at Sporting Events, an offence like this one carries a fine of between 5,000 and 50,000 kuna for physical persons and of 50,000 to 250,000 kuna for legal persons.