WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. - After sitting out the Saints off-season practices because of back surgery, safety Jairus Byrd is remaining on the sideline as training camp begins. Byrd was placed on New Orleans physically unable to perform list on Friday shortly before the opening practice of camp. Byrd wont be permitted to practice until removed from the list, but coach Sean Payton said 2013 Pro Bowl defensive back is on the verge of being fully fit and will return to practice before camp ends. "I dont want to put a time on it, but his progress is, I would say, ahead of schedule," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "Were still just getting it to where we feel like its 100 per cent. "Clearly, before we leave here, he will be back on the roster," Payton added. "Its just a matter of us making sure we feel that hes ready to go at 100 per cent and theres no risk of any (further) injury." Byrd, who is entering his sixth pro season, signed a six-year, $56 million free-agent contract with New Orleans last March. In May, he had what Payton has described as minor, elective back surgery. Byrd spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, during which he grabbed 22 interceptions and twice led the AFC in that category. "I was happy," third-year safety Kenny Vaccaro said of his reaction to Byrds signing in March. "I was saying last year, I was watching his tape in the middle of the year just trying to be like him. It was a surprise, but Im glad hes here." Byrd joined second-year defensive lineman John Jenkins on the PUP list. Also, second-year receiver Kenny Stills walked off the field during Fridays practice with an apparent leg injury. Jordan 12 Clearance Ireland .Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is inevitable that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys. Jordan 12 Sale Ireland . 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ZAGREB, Croatia -- Croatias World Cup qualification celebrations have been marred by apparent pro-Nazi chants by fans and defender Joe Simunic. Croatia qualified for the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Iceland on Tuesday. Video footage shows Simunic taking a microphone to the field after the match and shouting to the fans: "For the homeland!" The fans respond: "Ready!" That was the war call used by Ustashas, the Croatian pro-Nazi puppet regime that ruled the state during World War II when tens of thousands Jews, Serbs and others perished in concentration camps. The Australian-born Simunic, who faces disciplinary action by FIFA, defended his action. "Some people have to learn some history. Im not afraid," the 35-year-old Dinamo Zagreb defender said. "I did nothing wrong. Im supporting my Croatia, my homeland. If someone has something against it, thats their problem." In a statement released Wednesday on Dinamo Zagrebs website, Simunic rejected "any political context of my statement which was driven solely by my love toward my people and my country, and not by hatred and destruction." "The thought that anyone could associate me with any form of hatred or violence terrifies me," the statement added.dddddddddddd The same chant coupled with the Nazi salute has often been used by Croatian fans in the past. FIFA and UEFA have often sanctioned the Croatian Football Association because of their behaviour. Two weeks ago, FIFA fined Croatia 35,000 Swiss francs ($38,000) for incidents including fans making salute gestures during its previous match in Zagreb, a 2-1 loss to Belgium on Oct. 11. FIFA said Wednesday it was considering disciplinary action. "We are in the process of analyzing the different match officials reports and gathering information," FIFA said in a statement. Simunic faces a possible suspension which could apply to matches in Brazil at the World Cup. Croatias former prime minister and now independent MP, Jadranka Kosor, described Simunics act as "harmful, pitiful, illegal and unconstitutional." Kosor added: "It is pathetic that people who perceive themselves as big patriots actually hurt Croatia the most with such chants." At the 2006 World Cup, Simunic was the player who received three yellow cards in one match against Australia before being sent off. ' ' '