STADIUM POLITICS UNFORTUNATE FOR AZERBAIJANI YOUTH

Hurriyet Daily News
Oct 22 2009
Turkey

The latest round of Azerbaijan’s misgivings about Turkey’s recent
protocol with Armenia took shape in an order from Azerbaijan’s
President Ilham Aliyev demanding the return of football players
from Turkey.

Aliyev ordered the return of one coach and 22 children under the age
of 15, denying them the opportunity to learn from one of Turkey’s
top teams and to bring the benefits back to their home country.

In July two sports entities from the two countries signed an agreement
for cooperation.

Azerbaijan’s Football Federation President Rovnag Abdullayev and
Fenerbahce’s Aziz Yıldırım had pledged to work together, saying
it brought forth their historical ties, emphasizing the slogan "two
countries, one nation."

The young group of athletes, sent by the Azerbaijani Football
Federation, had been training with Istanbul’s Fenerbahce team for
the last three months.

After Aliyev’s request the Azerbaijani Football Federation sent a
written notice to Fenerbahce asking the young athletes to return. The
team is currently in Kadiköy preparing for departure from Istanbul
to Baku.

Baku has held a grudge since the presence of Azerbaijani flags was
banned during the recently played football match between Turkey
and Armenia in Bursa. As a consequence, several Turkish flags have
been removed in Baku, most notably from official buildings and the
martyrdom monument.