Tag: UEFA

UEFA punishes Poland’s Legia for racism

LAUSANNE: According to Star, Polish top-flight club Legia Warsaw were on Wednesday ordered by UEFA to shut a stand used by its die-hard fans after racist chanting by supporters at a Champions League match.

UEFA said that Legia would have to bar fans from the north stand of the Stadion Wojska Polskiego during their Champions League play-off on Aug 27, when they face Romania’s Steaua Bucharest.

In addition, UEFA slapped a fine of 30,000 euros (RM130,100) on the club.

Nicknamed the “Zyleta“, a play on the word “razor“, the north stand is home to the most passionate and, frequently, controversial fans of the club in the Polish capital.

The regularly have fallen foul of both Polish and European football authorities, as well the club itself.

The racist incidents in question occurred during Legia’s Champions League second qualifying round victory over Welsh club The New Saints on July 23.

August 19, 2013
UEFA President Michel Platini: Remove UEFA 2013 European Under-21 Championship from Israel

It took three months of hunger strike and the near death of a Palestinian footballer, Mahmoud Sarsak, held for three years without charge or trial under the ‘Unlawful Combatants Law’, which is itself illegal under international law, for the Israeli authorities to agree to a release deal in July 2012. We continue to be alarmed that Olympic squad goalkeeper Omar Abu Rois and Ramallah player Mohammed Nimr are also being held by Israel without charge. We maintain that a state which holds sportsmen as political prisoners is unfit to host an international sporting event. We, therefore, call on UEFA to withdraw the honour of hosting the 2013 European Under-21 championship from Israel.

Petition Letter

I’ve just signed the following petition addressed to: UEFA President Michel Platini.

—————-
Remove UEFA Under-21 Championship 2013 from Israel

An earlier letter to you signed by eminent figures including former football legend Éric Cantona, filmmaker Ken Loach, Michael Mansfield, QC, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and writer Alice Walker (1), addressed racist oppression in Israel as exemplified by the treatment of Palestinian footballer, Mahmoud Sarsak, and called for an end to Israel’s impunity. We are grateful for any interventions you made on Sarsak’s behalf, and welcome news of a deal that saw the footballer released on 10 July 2012.

It took huge international pressure and condemnation in response to three months of hunger strike by Mahmoud Sarsak to force the Israeli authorities to agree to this deal. This is a sportsman who has been held for over three years without charge or trial under the ‘Unlawful Combatants Law’, which is illegal under international laws (2). Sarsak felt so strongly about the injustice of his case that he was willing to die to highlight Israel’s ongoing human rights abuses.

As pointed out to you in a June 2012 letter from Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub, in addition to Sarsak, Olympic squad goalkeeper Omar Abu Rois and Ramallah player Mohammed Nimr are also being held by Israel without charge. Rajoub makes clear in his letter the importance of UEFA not giving Israel the honour of hosting the next UEFA European Under-21 Championship in June 2013, when “For athletes in Palestine, there is no real freedom of movement and the risks of being detained or even killed are always looming before their eyes”.

UEFA’s response to this urgent plea by Palestinians and their supporters is that “football – and sport in general – are building bridges between nations and communities and that political matters should not interfere with the practice of the game.”

UEFA should understand that this argument rings hollow in the ears of Palestinians, footballers and others, who are victims of Israel’s discriminatory regime. Sport cannot build bridges when a government wields state power to imprison and oppress a specific community. The idea that politics can be separated from sport in this situation is clearly untenable. For Israel, sport, and culture generally, are tools to be used to divert attention away from the state’s persecution of the Palestinian population of Israel and the occupied territories – a population equal in numbers and just as passionate about football as their Israeli counterparts but denied access both as participants and spectators.

Have you considered how the besieged 1.2 million Palestinians in Gaza will gain entry to the four Israeli stadia earmarked for the Under-21 games next year? Or how the population of the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem will negotiate their way through checkpoints and across Israel’s apartheid wall to watch the games?

You stated in your response to Rajoub: “We cannot hold the Israel FA responsible for the political situation in the region or for legal procedures in place in its country.”

We cannot accept the contention that a national football association that has tolerated years of discrimination and suffering on the part of Palestinian players and football-lovers can be acquitted of its share of responsibility. Not only are prominent Palestinian players held as political prisoners, but on 20 June, a 12-year-old boy kicking a football around near his family home in Gaza became the latest in a sad catalogue of child victims of the Israeli military (3).

Where are the IFA’s public denunciations of such crimes? There are none.

We join Palestinians and people of conscience all over the world in calling on UEFA to withdraw the European under-21 Championship from Israel next year, and to deny it such privileges until such time as the State of Israel complies with international law and ceases its human rights violations.

1.

2.

3.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Change.org

November 1, 2012
Euro 2012: UEFA bosses accused of racism after ‘turning blind eye’ to abuse of black footballers

Football chiefs were today accused of “turning a blind eye” to racism after Dutch players were targeted with abuse.

Uefa finally admitted today there had been a racist incident after Dutch black players were subjected to monkey chants during a training session in Poland two days ago in the build-up to the opening games of the Euro 2012 tournament.

The racism row and violence against English-speaking fans threatened to overshadow the tournament even before it began this afternoon with the Poland against Greece game. The football authorities vowed to take action if there was a repeat of the abuse. But MPs and campaigners condemned them for not being tougher following the Dutch case which was initially played down.

Labour MP Diane Abbott said: “They are turning a blind eye. The danger is that by not acting, they leave the door open for further racial abuse of black and Asian players and fans.”

Piara Powar, the executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe, said: “We’re very clear with Uefa that any incident of this kind needs to be looked at.”

Conservative MP Mark Field, vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary football group, added: “I fear Uefa are trying to brush this under the carpet.”

In a statement today, Uefa accepted that there had been racist chants at Wisla’s Krakow ground as reported by the Dutch captain Mark van Bommel.

“Uefa has now been made aware that there were some isolated incidents of racist chanting,” it said.

As the England team gathered for a training session in Krakow, former captain Rio Ferdinand — whose brother Anton was allegedly racially abused during a match by England’s John Terry — tweeted: “Tell me I didn’t see this … the Dutch team getting abuse already? Hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.”

Dutch football great Ruud Gullit added: “It’s sad. We don’t need this.”

Sports minister Hugh Robertson warned that discrimination must not be tolerated as fears grew that the tournament will be marred by racism or anti-Semitism.

He said: “Racism of any form is unacceptable on the football pitch or elsewhere. If it occurs I would expect the authorities to stamp down on it in the strongest possible terms.”

The Dutch FA has decided not to make an official complaint. But van Bommel, with the backing of the Dutch squad, insists players were targeted.

England have several black players including Ashley Young, Ashley Cole, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The families of Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain have declined to travel to watch the matches because of fears over racism, and former player Sol Campbell advised fans to avoid the tournament because of race fears.

As the racism row grew, there were reports that local thugs attacked English-speaking fans last night — just hours before the start of the event being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.

About 50 hooligans punched and kicked foreign football supporters speaking English and Russian as they drank in a pub in the central Polish city of Lodz.

Witnesses said young masked men wearing the club colours of local team LKS Lodz pulled up in cars next to a pub and attacked anyone in sight, throwing punches and kicks.

“When they started to hit out, we fled inside,” one victim said. “We barricaded the entrance. Some of us remained outside, and they got the brunt of the attack.”

Two men were injured and a Polish witness said: “They forced two younger men to the ground, with multiple attackers starting to punch and kick them. It was a horrible sight. I fumbled for my phone and called the police. They were lying motionless on the pavement. I thought they were dead.

“After a couple of minutes, one of them started to get up, and then the second. I was very relieved.”

British ministers are boycotting England’s group stage matches in protest at “selective justice” in Ukraine and because of the workload for the Olympics. The Government is concerned about the treatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.

Ukraine’s ambassador to London, Vladimir Khandogiy, today criticised the British decision. “This reason for not attending is something that I don’t understand since I believe that sport and politics don’t mix,” he said.

Whitehall insiders stressed the Government was making a political statement through the boycott, backed by other EU nations.

A 22-year-old football fan in Krakow is in hospital after being attacked by hooligans wielding machetes in what was apparently a fight between fans of local clubs. Police spokesman Renata Kostecka said: “He suffered light cuts and a major wound to his thigh. He is still in hospital.”

Three men were arrested.

London Evening Standard

June 10, 2012
Turkey must choose: Games or Euros

istanbul

At a crossroads: The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, which is in the running for both the Olympics and the European soccer championships in 2020. Picture: Supplied.

TURKEY will have to withdraw its bid to host Euro 2020 if Istanbul is awarded the Olympics in the same year, the IOC has said.

International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said in an interview that IOC rules state that a Games host country cannot hold another major sports event in the same year.

“Initially they will be judged on their technical capacity on May 23 in Quebec City,” said the 70-year-old Belgian, referring to the IOC members’ vote on selecting the short-list for the 2020 Games.

“In other words their potential to host the Games.

“On September 7 next year in Buenos Aires, if Istanbul is elected we will respectfully ask them not to host the European Championships.

“Ultimately, it will be for the government (in Ankara) to make their mind up but I would say the election would be conditional on not organising another competition.”

Istanbul, who were considered a leading candidate to host the Games after several failed bids, were dealt a huge blow when Turkey unexpectedly declared their candidacy for Euro 2020.

Until then, bid organisers had understood that the government’s priority was the hosting of the Games.

Turkey’s bid for the Euro is largely seen as being motivated by enthusiastic soundings from UEFA president Michel Platini, who believes there are few countries capable of hosting the showpiece tournament.

Rogge insisted, however, that the apparent conflict should not ordinarily affect Istanbul’s ability to make the Olympics short-list.

Istanbul, a historic city at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is competing against Tokyo, Madrid, Doha and Baku.

Tokyo, which hosted the Games back in 1964, is seen as the early favourite. Madrid lost out to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 competition but Spain is currently in the grip of a deep recession.

Doha, capital of the 2022 soccer World Cup hosts Qatar, failed to make the short-list last time round.

via Turkey must choose: Games or Euros | News.com.au.

May 9, 2012
UEFA congress begins in Istanbul

By IANS,

Istanbul : The 36th Congress of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) began in Istanbul Thursday with participation of representatives from 53 member associations.

GettyImagesUEFA president Michel Platini (L) shakes hands with European Club Association Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter, UEFA President Michel Platini and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are among those present at the meeting.

The congress will listen to reports of the UEFA President and the Executive Committee and Report of the UEFA Administration 2010/11, reports on the UEFA committees’ activities.

Also on the agenda are the annual UEFA statement of accounts for 2010/11 and discussion on the budget for the 2012/13 financial year, and European Social Dialogue: Approval of agreement on minimum player contract requirements.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a passionate football fan, spoke of the need for football to be a symbol of peace and friendship.

He urged continued work and investment to encourage as many young people as possible to become involved in sport, and called on sport to fight negative phenomena such as match-fixing and racism.

“I’d like to thank UEFA for coming back to Turkey and Istanbul. Turkey is a country which is in love with football and whose people contribute to football. We are building new facilities and are making our presence more noticeable,” he was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Istanbul had hosted the 2005 UEFA Champions League final and 2009 UEFA Cup final in recent years, and Antalya will stage the UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship this summer. In addition, Turkey will stage the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Blatter highlighted the importance of UEFA to the world football movement. “Thank you to the UEFA Executive Committee and the UEFA President Michel Platini for the excellent relationship which exists between UEFA and FIFA,” he said. “Congratulations to Europe for all the efforts that you are making to ensure that the game remains a game.”

via UEFA congress begins in Istanbul | TwoCircles.net.

March 23, 2012
Turkey Beats Israel in Politically Charged Soccer Match

By JOE PARKINSON

ISTANBUL—Fiyapi Inonu Stadium on Thursday showcased the latest sign of the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between longtime allies Turkey and Israel: 12 Israeli soccer fans.

Engulfed by a sea of empty white seats in the 32,000-capacity stadium and vastly outnumbered by battalions of riot police, the solitary Israelis had traveled to cheer their team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, against Istanbul’s Besiktas in a politically charged Europa league match.

Ricardo Quaresma of Besiktas reacted as he was stopped by Savo Pavicevic of Maccabi Tel Aviv during their match.

When the tournament schedule was announced, Istanbul authorities had expected thousands of Israeli supporters to attend, but just a dozen made it there amid rapidly escalating tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem and fears of violence.

Israeli fans were shepherded into the visitors’ stand at the far end of the stadium, which is covered by a special fireproof netting to shield spectators from projectiles.

“I’ve been to games between Israeli and Turkish teams many times and we usually see hundreds or thousands of visiting fans,” said Joseph Perez-Ari, a commentator for Tel Aviv Radio broadcasting at the stadium. “Today there’s so few. It’s because people are scared, because of the situation.”

Late Thursday, the match appeared to have passed largely without incident as Besiktas, the pre-game favorites, romped to a 5-1 victory.

But the dramatically increased police presence and sporadic protests by anti-Israeli demonstrators in the center of the city underscored that the relationship between the countries is being redefined.

Tensions escalated after Israel refused to apologize for a raid on a Gaza-bound ship last year that killed nine activists, prompting Turkey to expel top Israeli diplomats, cut military ties with the country and vow to send navy vessels to escort aid ships in the future.

That coincided with Turkey showing signs of trading its vaunted “zero problems with neighbors” foreign policy for a more muscular approach, bidding to become the leading power in the Middle East and North Africa. The shift, on display as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved a major aerial bombing campaign against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and pressed Egypt to let him visit Hamas-run Gaza, could trigger clashes with Jerusalem and force Washington to choose between its closest allies in the region, analysts said.

At Thursday’s match, fans said Besiktas’s on-field domination may have diminished the potential for violence, which could have further fueled tensions.

Still, Thursday saw an escalation of diplomatic tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey’s foreign ministry warned that it would sign a continental-shelf delimitation agreement with Turkish-backed Northern Cyprus if the Greeks of the divided island move ahead, following a December maritime-demarcation deal with Israel, to develop offshore natural-gas fields.

Athens responded by calling on Turkey to drop threats to Cyprus, warning the dispute could prove “dangerous” to the already tense eastern Mediterranean basin.

In Tunis, Prime Minister Erdogan, following a meeting with his Tunisian counterpart Beji Caid Essebsi, reiterated that Turkish warships would be deployed in the Mediterranean, stressing that Israel would “no longer be able to do what it wants” in those waters.

The buildup to Thursday’s match also reflected heightened diplomatic tension.

Before the evening kickoff, several hundred protesters gathered in Istanbul’s landmark Taxim Square, chanting anti-Israel and anti-American slogans and briefly halting traffic at one on the city’s busiest intersections.

The Israeli team arrived at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport on Wednesday under tight security and were escorted from the stadium by riot police after the match.

Istanbul police tried to calm fears, stressing that they had taken measures to thwart protests that were organized on social-networking websites, including possible plans to invade the pitch.

Amid fears over their citizen’s security, Israeli authorities had petitioned UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, to reschedule the game at a neutral venue, but Turkey’s government refused, last week offering guarantees for players’ and fans’ safety.

Turkish Sports Minister Suat Kilic told reporters at a televised news conference last week that “various issues” existed between Turkey and Israel, “but it is not a situation that could prevent this match. “The game would be played in the “highest level of [Turkish] hospitality,” and that Israeli players would “safely” return home, he added.

Write to Joe Parkinson at joe.parkinson@dowjones.com

via Turkey Beats Israel in Politically Charged Soccer Match – WSJ.com.

September 16, 2011