In a very positive development I am pleased to confirm that the ‘CYPRUS IS GREEK’ debacle has been posted around the globe from our perspective, as outlined below. The ICARE distribution list goes to over 1,000 pro-active anti-racism campaigning groups and apart from the ongoing importance of raising awareness I hope that some of them might take a more active interest in our plight. This email has also been copied to UEFA and my personal message to Monsieur Platini is that we will be writing to you in much more detail to demand action over this appalling incident.Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2009 5:58am
To: [email protected]
Subject: FIFA & UEFA STATUTE ON RACISM BREACHED?
The incident related to a huge banner which read ‘CYPRUS IS GREEK’ and this was translated into a number of different languages. The banner comes at an especially sensitive moment as the talks between President’s Christofias and Talat are under immense strain due to unfortunate comments made by the Greek Cypriot leader at a UN convention in New York.
To give a comparison of the offensive nature of this banner imagine if in the UK if fans at Old Trafford brought in a massive banner stating ‘England is English’ or ‘Britain is English’. This sort of intolerant behaviour is very sad, even more so as the original constitution of the Republic of Cyprus [RoC] recognises Turkish as an official language and also the Turkish people as equal.
Embargoed! would like to see a much more tolerant attitude being encouraged in the RoC and calls on the anti-racism movement to lobby the RoC government to condemn these intolerant banners which only serves to fuel racism and hatred still further. Fifa regulations 2a, 3 and 13f all appear to have been breached by this behaviour. Article 2b of UEFA statute appears to have been breached.
To contact Embargoed! please email [email protected] or visit www.embargoed.org
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