THE DECISION BANNING AZERBAIJANI FLAGS IN BURSA STADIUM IS CONNECTED WITH FIFA’S THREAT TO CANCEL THE GAME

ArmInfo
2009-10-21 14:52:00

ArmInfo. FIFA’s decision banning Azerbaijani flags in Turkey-
Armenia match is connected with the instruction given by the Turkish
government.

APA reports that Bursa governor has today made public the full text of
FIFA’s letter to the Turkish Football Federation. Turkish embassy sent
the letter to APA. In the letter FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke
says to the official representative of Turkish Football Federation
Ahmet Guvener: "FIFA representatives in Turkey told us that the Turkish
government gave instruction to the Turkish Football Federation and the
local organizing committee in Bursa to distribute Azerbaijan’s national
flags to fans. FIFA’s commissar and FIFA security officer once more
says to the Turkish Football Federation and the local representation
in Bursa that such a planned action means violating article 3 of FIFA
regulations and article 26 of FIFA safety regulations and creating
serious safety problem. Therefore, we demand the Turkish Football
Federation to stop the action against Armenia.

The flags distributed among fans should be collected outside the
stadium. Political intervention in FIFA competitions is completely
inadmissible and we will praise your interference with it. We want
you to take into consideration that if the action with Azerbaijani
flags will not stop, FIFA can do nothing but cancel the match. The
information about it will be presented to FIFA appropriate committees
for taking necessary decisions".