September 6 – The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) has condemned the political grandstanding during the women’s Champions League match between Farul Constanta and Mitrovica in Romania.
The match, played at the Haji Academy Stadium in Constanta, was interrupted in the first half after Serbian flags appeared in the stands and some Romanian fans chanted ‘Kosovo is Serbia”.
The match was stopped to remove the flags.
The FFK said it would send an official note to UEFA demanding the Romanian Football Federation is punished.
“The Football Federation of Kosovo expresses its indignation and strongly reacts to the unacceptable behavior of the Romanian fans during the women’s Champions League match between Farul Constanta and Mitrovica,” said the FFK statement.
“The display of Serbian flags and calls against the state of Kosovo are unacceptable and reprehensible actions, which contradict the spirit of football and ‘fair play’.
“FFK will send an official note of protest to the Romanian Football Federation and UEFA, demanding punishments and concrete actions against such provocations and to prevent the recurrence of similar situations in the future.”
Expressing their belief that cooperation and mutual respect are key to the true values of football, the statement continued: “Football should serve as a bridge of unity and not as a platform for inciting hatred and tensions between peoples.
“Despite such provocations on the eve of the very important match between the national team of Kosovo and that of Romania, FFK appeals to the football-loving opinion to focus only on football, leaving aside such behaviors of Romanian fans and from other states that do not recognize the independence of Kosovo.”
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1734952572labto1734952572ofdlr1734952572owedi1734952572sni@o1734952572fni1734952572