The Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) has called on FARE to remove the red and black flag, a symbol of the national liberation movement in Ukraine, from the list of banned symbols in Ukrainian stadiums.
“We do not understand why some symbols that are important to the Ukrainian spirit are on the list of prohibited signs in the manual for FARE observers. We and many Ukrainian fans do not understand why the red-and-black flag, which has been a symbol of the national liberation movements in Ukraine since the beginning of the 17th century, is prohibited,” FFU First Deputy President Serhiy Storozhenko said in Kyiv on Oct. 23, while speaking at a conference” Football without hatred and discrimination.”
On behalf of all Ukrainian fans, he called on FARE to remove the red and black flag from the list of banned symbols.
Storozhenko said that FFU strongly supports the fight against racism, Nazism and other forms of discrimination in football matches. However, he noted that FIFA and UEFA always note that it is necessary to take into account national traditions and the specifics of each country.
As reported, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee at a meeting on Sep. 27 decided that the 2014 World Cup qualifier between Ukraine and Poland in Kharkiv on Oct. 11 would be played without spectators. In addition, Ukraine will be banned from playing in the Arena Lviv stadium as of Sep. 27 and for the whole duration of the preliminary competition for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
In the 2014 World Cup qualifier between Ukraine and San Marino, which was played in Lviv, Ukraine, on Sep. 6, 2013, both the referee and the match commissioner reported several incidents involving pyrotechnical devices. Moreover, FIFA was informed by FARE (Football Against Racism Europe), that several racist and discriminatory incidents were apparently perpetrated by local supporters during the match, in particular by displaying neo-Nazi banners and by making “monkey noises and gestures,” as well as Nazi salutes.
On Oct. 3, FFU filed an appeal against this decision and asked FIFA to consider it as quickly as possible.
FIFA sanctions against FFU were suspended pending the consideration of an appeal lodged by the Ukrainian side. A final decision on FFU’s complaint will be made on November 26.
