The Yugoslav's nightmare Euro 2000 continued today (Saturday) when UEFA refused to hand over their earnings for the tournament - a total in the region of £3.1million.

UEFA have instructed Swiss authorities handling their accounts to investigate any links between the Yugoslav Football Federation (FSJ) and president Slobodan Milosevic's regime. If there is, NATO and EU directives make it illegal to transfer the funds to the federation.

'The Swiss authorities are blocking our income from Euro 2000 until we prove that we are a fully independent and free sports organisation,' Branko Bulatovic, the FSJ general secretary announced.

'But according to our statute, the FSJ is a fully independent sports organisation, and our statute is the proof which we will provide.

Yugoslavia's return to competitive European Football after sanctions forced their withdrawal from the 1992 European Champions has been fraught with difficulties.

Unable to play in the Euro 96 tournament, they only got clearance to play at Euro 2000 just days before the start of the tournament after a Kosovan lawyer pleaded against their inclusion in a European Court.

The European Union has also recently tightened financial sanctions on Yugoslavia as leader Slobodan Milosevic threatened to stand again at the end of his term of office. Now only trade with organisation that can prove they withhold revenues from the authorities is allowed.