A DIPLOMATIC VICTORY, BUT A DRAW FOR FAIR PLAY
Hurriyet Daily News
Thursday, October 15, 2009
OVATION: Turkish president Abdullah Gul (R) and Armenian president
(2nd R) at the match between their two countries. Photo taken from
Turkish Presidency Web site.
There were fears that the slightest amount of crowd trouble during the
Turkey-Armenia game could have harmed the process of normalization
between the two countries. Given that nothing happened, one could
call Wednesday’s game a success. But it is possible to look at the
match from a different angle.
The football match against Armenia was a victory for Turkey both on
and off the pitch, but still, it is not right to get carried away
and say that Turkey gave a lesson in fair play.
In terms of the glass-is-half-full perspective, it was a great step
forward for politics. As Turkish President Abdullah Gul said after
the game, the iceberg of problems between the two countries may not
melt in one day, but the thaw starts now.
That aspect of the game was a success, but as far as Bursa’s
performance is concerned on the subject of fair play, the results
are mixed.
The 17,000 spectators at Bursa’s Ataturk Stadium watching the 2010
World Cup qualifying group match did their best to avoid trouble on
Wednesday, but it was hardly proof that Bursa or Turkish football
fans have lots of common sense, since the lack of trouble was more
the result of extraordinarily strict security measures implemented by
the government, local authorities and the Turkish Football Federation
than the attitude of fans.
As previously reported, tickets for the game were not sold and
were distributed through a dubious scheme. Apart from 5,000 given
to Teksas, the famous supporters’ group of local side Bursaspor,
the tickets were handed out by the governorship of Bursa.
Hundreds of fans were desperately hoping to find tickets outside the
stadium before the kickoff, but they lost hope when the doors closed
half he game, leaving even ticket holders outside.
Although not officially confirmed, it was reported that a remarkable
number of tickets were to be distributed to soldiers and police
officers. Whatever was done, it worked. Ultra-nationalist groups were
not there to stage an organized protest as many had feared. Even
if they were present, they probably would not have had a chance to
voice their discontent over the normalization process as there were
reportedly 3,000 policemen on duty inside and outside the stadium. Any
spectator would have gone through at least four security checks
before gaining entry. All political banners were banned, although
some Azerbaijani flags, which were a subject of pregame debate,
apparently managed to sneak in despite police efforts. These were
waved by those who believe that Ankara "betrayed" Baku when starting
talks with Yerevan, but there were definitely fewer than expected,
considering the coverage the flag flap had in the build-up to the
game. However, it should be noted that Bursa hailed "the country’s
sibling" by chanting Azerbaijan in the second half of the game.
The cause of considerable electricity at the pitch was the unfurling
of the Armenian flag and the chants sung by visiting journalists
in the first half of the game. The booing was so powerful that an
eight-year-old boy near this Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review
reporter had to ask his father why they did not like the Armenians.
"Turkey and Armenia had a war in the past, that’s why," the father
replied.
"Did we win?" the boy asked.
The father indicated a proud yes with his head, capping a very brief
history lesson taught in a very Turkish way.
The Armenian flag also caused a stir in the press area as well, since
an Azerbaijani reporter asked Turkish Football Federation officials
to intervene in the situation. However, Turkish journalists stood up
and supported the right of their Armenian peers to cheer, causing a
brief argument between them and the federation officials. Finally,
the Armenian journalists were taken out of the press area and placed
with the Armenian fans in their section of the stands.
However, it should be added that there was no fierce hostility toward
Armenians during the game. True, there was the usual booing when
the opponents’ national anthem was played and the occasional cry of
"Stand up if you are not an Armenian!" It is offensive in its way,
but come to any football stadium in Turkey for a league game on any
given weekend and you will hear many versions of this chant sung to
insult the opposing Turkish side.
Furthermore, praise is due to Teksas for planning a wonderful gesture:
Some 10 white doves were released to fly above the stadium right
before the kickoff, hopefully not just in a clear reference to peace,
but also to hail Hrant Dink, the Turkish journalist of Armenian descent
assassinated on Jan. 17, 2007 in Istanbul. One of Dink’s last articles
compared his feelings to "a dove’s skittishness."
A banner that read "Welcome to Hrant’s homel With all the highs and
lows, it was, after all, a normal game in terms of the energy of the
crowd. But let us not fool ourselves by thinking that it is proof that
Turkish football fans know how to "play fair." This is, after all,
the team that attacked Swiss players after losing in a 2006 World Cup
playoff and the one that started a fight on the pitch and committed
ugly fouls against the Georgians in a so-called friendly in 2007.
On a brighter note, do you remember the Turkish team winning the hearts
of the world in 2002? The team hailed the crowd hand in hand with their
South Korean counterparts after the third-place playoff match at the
2002 World Cup – bear in mind, though, that Turkey won that match.
The fact that Turkey had earlier lost its hopes of qualifying for
the World Cup and that Armenia was not its equal as a football team
certainly helped the country’s cause.
Now, imagine another game against Armenia. Let’s say that Turkey
needs nothing but a win. Then let’s say that Armenia wins such a
match in Bursa. In such a hypothetical circumstance, if the Turkish
fans can keep their calm and respect their opponents without letting
the political feuds of the past intervene, then they would merit
all the fair-play awards. Or, in other words, they would be the ones
"making history."
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
