“Politicians should take care of politics, but sport needs to be a place of brotherhood which brings people together,” Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president Michel Platini said earlier this year on one of his regular diversions down the blind alley marked “sport and politics should not mix.”
As that drone floated surreally over the Belgrade pitch on Oct. 14, sparking the extraordinary mayhem that followed on the pitch, it was just the latest incident to make that stance look naive at best and dangerous at worst.
In a sport that has all but lost the power to shock, the sight of a remote-controlled drone trailing the flag of “Greater Albania” — a concept that Albanians insist is never used in modern parlance — over the pitch was the precursor to half an hour of chaos and confusion before Martin Atkinson called the game off.
UEFA’s independent disciplinary committee, having sifted through evidence from both Serbia and Albania, decided on the plague-on-all-their-houses approach on Friday. Serbia were awarded a 3-0 walkover, but had three points deducted, both countries were fined 100,000 euros (US$126,700) each and Serbia were ordered to play their next two home qualifiers, against Denmark on Nov. 14 and Armenia on Sept. 4 next year, behind closed doors.
In the absence of any definitive evidence on who actually flew the drone, it is a verdict that looks tough on the Albanians — who get no points from the match and are three goals worse off. The decision means that Albania, who began their campaign with a shock 1-0 win over Portugal, have four points from three games and Serbia one point from two. Denmark have four points, Portugal three and Armenia one.
It is a given that in any quasi-judicial process, each side will aggressively present their case in the best light. However, the Ministry of Truth tone of the Serbian submission, in which the Albanian Football Association was accused of orchestrating the drone incident as part of a premeditated “terrorist act,” verged on the ridiculous.
All who were there have commented on the supercharged atmosphere among a crowd whipped into a frenzy by the nationalism stirred up by their first clash with Albania in Belgrade since 1967. Held against the backdrop of longstanding tensions over Kosovo, the former Serbian province declared independent in 2008 and populated mainly by ethnic Albanians, the match was always going to be a flashpoint. That tension erupted into war in 1998 and was halted only by a NATO bombing campaign a year later, but not before 10,000 people had lost their lives.
Despite the absence of away fans, the atmosphere was not helped by a security operation that, according to eyewitnesses, was woefully inadequate. Stones, lighters, coins, flares, chunks of crumbling terrace and other objects — the Albanian FA’s submission claims a wheelbarrow was spotted on the terraces — found their way on to the pitch having been hurled in the direction of Albanian players.
Banners glorifying war criminals were openly displayed and songs raining down from the terraces included “Kill, kill, kill the Albanians” and “Burn them, burn them alive until there are none left.”
The sight of the notorious hooligan Ivan Bogdanov in the crowd seemed symbolically significant of a lack of desire or ability among the Serbian authorities to police the game and a reminder of the close links between Belgrade’s ultras and Arkan’s murderous rampage across the region in the late 1990s.
When all hell broke loose that day — with stewards, fans and (allegedly) the police attacking Albanian players as they ran from the pitch, shielded by their Serbian counterparts — the powder keg had required only a spark.
There can be little doubt that the surreal drone and its offensive cargo provided that spark. However, for all we (and UEFA) might suspect, it was an Albanian flying it, without proof it is surely difficult to censure them for it. Disentangling the toxic web of claim and counter claim in cases such as this is never going to be easy, but not for the first time, UEFA seems to have fallen between several stools.
The Albanian FA claims that up to six players were so badly injured that they were unable to carry on. The Serbians say they offered to replay the game later in the week behind closed doors. The Albanians claim no such offer was made and that in any case, their players were due back with their clubs.
There is little doubt that both sides were culpable, but while Serbia faces the loss of revenue from two home matches behind closed doors, Albania suffered the greater sporting penalty.
Amid the tit-for-tat statements and inflated rhetoric Albania’s chances of qualifying for Euro 2016 have taken a hit. What if Serbia qualify on goal difference ahead of them? More pressingly, what will UEFA do about the return match in Albania in 12 months’ time?
Last week was designated a UEFA “no to racism action week,” the latest reminder that TV adverts, T-shirts and warm words are all very well, but until they are backed by coherent decisions from UEFA’s disciplinary body, they will not achieve much.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely