Serbs refuse Ukraine appeal
Red Star Belgrade causes a scandal in Lithuania
4/4/2022 8:34 p.m
Uproar during the match between Zalgiris Kaunas and Red Star Belgrade in EuroLeague in basketball. The guests from Serbia refuse before the game a message of peace for Ukraine. The Lithuanian fans whistle loudly, the Serbian club calls for penalties – for the Lithuanians.
The boundaries between sport and politics have been abolished for the general public at least since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Not that it was any different before, but far too often sport with its affiliated departments, including associations, clubs, officials, sponsors, athletes and some of the media, had clearly positioned itself. Politics has nothing to do with sport, it was said again and again.
The situation changed fundamentally with the attack on Ukraine. Russian clubs and athletes have been excluded from numerous associations, clubs as well as associations and racing teams have parted ways with Russian sponsors such as Gazprom. Ukraine can be sure of the overwhelming solidarity of the sport and the fans. However, there are exceptions, as the FIFA Congress proved, where the world football association around President Gianni Infantino managed not to suspend the Russian association with the words.
At the direction of the club management
Another exception happened on Sunday in Kaunas, Lithuania. The baseball team from Red Star Belgrade made a guest appearance there in the EuroLeague and refused to hold a blue and yellow banner with the words “Stop War” in front of the obligatory team photos. While the five starting players from Zalgiris Kaunas and the three officials held the banner, the five professionals under contract with Red Star stood by. This disparagement was met with loud boos and a blaring concert of whistles from the audience at the Zalgirio Arena in the Lithuanian capital. The mood towards the Serbs remained hostile throughout the game.
“I really hope things will calm down soon, that’s it,” said Belgrade coach Dejan Radonjic after the game. “That’s not a question for me,” the former coach of the FC Bayern Munich basketball team then evaded the question about the whistles. A little later, however, US player Aaron White spoke up on Twitter. “As a team, we were told not to touch the flag,” wrote White, who was also once under contract with Kaunas and declared that he did not support the war.
His wife, Grace, is said to have violently attacked Red Star and accused the club management of having robbed her husband of his freedom of expression. This is now no longer understandable. Your account on the social network is locked.
Red Star calls for punishment
In a statement from the club, Red Star confirmed the instructions to the players. The club had already informed EuroLeague and Kaunas ahead of the game “that they will not allow politicization and will not carry a banner in the colors of any country’s flag and will not participate in the manipulation and politicization of one of the most humane and universal slogans “Stop War”. ” become.
The Serbian club, whose professional football department continues to be supported by Gazprom, condemned the Lithuanian fans’ shouts of “Fuck You, Serbia” and the opposing club’s “political performance” which “seriously violated the basic principles of the EuroLeague and basketball”. . Red Star continued to demand penalties for Zalgiris Kaunas. Otherwise you open the “door and gate” for other EuroLeague participants to continue to mix sport and politics.
Kaunas won the game, meaningless for the progress of the league, with 103:98 in overtime. The Lithuanians finish the round in last place and the Serbs have no chance to advance to the next round. The Russian participants CSKA Moscow, Kazan and Zenit St. Petersburg were excluded from the competition after the attack on Ukraine.