AZERBAIJANI RULING PARTY PROTESTS AGAINST FIFA’S DECISION

Trend News Agency
Oct 20 2009
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) disagrees with the
FIFA decision banning to bring the Azerbaijani flags in the
Turkey-Armenia football match.

"Sport should not be politicized. Sport is the arena of peace,
friendship and cooperation. Since when were restrictions on flags
applied? How is the decision correct not to allow the Azerbaijani flag
into the stadium so that to satisfy Armenia? There is no such
prohibition in the rules. FIFA does not have such rules and this
organization prohibits the display of nationalism, fascism and racism.

The flag of friendship should be waved in Bursa, Deputy Executive
Secretary of the NAP Mubariz Gurbanli said in an interview with the
official website of the NAP.

On Oct.15, the Turkish city of Bursa hosted the Turkey-Armenia
football match under the World Cup qualifying stage for 2010. FIFA has
decided to prohibit bringing Azerbaijan’s flag into the stadium.

According to Gurbanli, "football diplomacy" has become a unique tool
for the Turkish-Armenian negotiations.

"Everybody knew that persons loving Azerbaijan were likely to enter
the stadium with the Azerbaijani flag in Bursa. However, the Bursa
mayor prohibited to carry the Azerbaijani flags to the stadium and it
caused anger and irritation among people. The Azerbaijani flag had had
to become a symbol of support for Turkey’s national team. I believe
Turkey’s decision was very wrong. When the flag of so-called Nagorno
Karabakh Republic was raised in Yerevan, the Turkish side did not
express their protest. Why were they silent? Why did not FIFA respond?

This flag was the flag of non-recognized separatist and criminal
regime," Gurbanli said.