ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Algerian football fans making “sectarian chants” related to the previous Iraqi regime during a match between Iraqi Quwa al-Jawiya and Algerian Etihad has led to fierce reactions by Iraqi Football Federation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoning the Algerian ambassador.
State media Al Iraqiyah reported on Saturday night that the country’s Quwa al-Jawiya (Air Force) team, its delegation and fans withdrew from a match with Algeria’s Etihad in the Arabic Teams Championship due to “sectarian chants,” which mocked Saddam Hussein’s treatment of Iraq’s Shiites.
The Arabic sports news outlet Kooora confirmed the report, adding the withdrawal occurred in the second half, in the 72nd minute, as the Iraqi team was trailing 2-0. The news outlet reported that the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) will meet to discuss the events and make a final decision.
By rule, a withdrawal is considered to be a 3-0 loss.
“Quwa al-Jawiya represents Iraq in the tournament, and the team’s board won’t accept any abuse toward any country. We dealt with the Algerian team with full respect and appreciation in Karbala,” Walid al-Zaydi, the deputy head of the administrative board of the Iraqi team, told Kooora.
The Algerians didn’t treat them in the same spirit, added the deputy head, saying their decision “sprung from loyalty to the country”. The slogans chanted by Algerians “prompted us to withdraw from the match.”
The Iraqi Football Federation (IFF) strongly rejected the “sectarian and racist slogans.” Its head threatened to resign from his position as deputy head of UAFA and withdraw Iraqi teams from the tournament if no concrete action is taken.
“As our Iraqi Federation expresses its deep regrets due to what happened, the head of the federation Mr. Abdulkhaliq Masoud followed up in his telephone calls with officials of Arab Associations and his total rejection of what happened in abuse to the Iraqi team,” read an IFF statement.
A “strongly worded complaint, backed by documents and evidence” will be given to the UAFA to make a “fair decision” that would reclaim the “respect and existence” of Iraqi football.
The supervisor of Sport Teams in Iraq’s Ministry of Defense told Al Iraqiya that they were protected by Algerian security, adding that slogans against Iraq were solely during the match.
The deputy head of the administrative board, Walid al-Zaydi, revealed to Kooora that they were surrounded by Algerian fans at Omar Hamadi Stadium after they withdrew.
The Iraqi Media Network, of whom Al Iraqiyah is part, announced that it would not cover Algerian teams until Algiers apologizes for “the abuse of its fans against Iraqi unity.”
Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement explained that the slogans were related to the previous Iraqi regime and Saddam Hussein
Some “malevolent individuals” present at the game and “abused the deep brotherly relations between the brotherly countries,” according to the ministry.
“In addition to the ministry demanding clarification from relevant parties connected to such condemnable behavior, it summons the ambassador of the Republic of Algeria in Baghdad to notify him — and through him the Algerian government — of its refusal and anger of Iraq as a government and people,” added the ministry.
The government of Algeria needed to protect Iraqis in Algeria and “abstain from all who could provoke our people and burnish the despicable face of our ordeal with the extinct dictatorial Saddam regime”, added the ministry.
State media Al Iraqiyah reported on Saturday night that the country’s Quwa al-Jawiya (Air Force) team, its delegation and fans withdrew from a match with Algeria’s Etihad in the Arabic Teams Championship due to “sectarian chants,” which mocked Saddam Hussein’s treatment of Iraq’s Shiites.
The Arabic sports news outlet Kooora confirmed the report, adding the withdrawal occurred in the second half, in the 72nd minute, as the Iraqi team was trailing 2-0. The news outlet reported that the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) will meet to discuss the events and make a final decision.
By rule, a withdrawal is considered to be a 3-0 loss.
“Quwa al-Jawiya represents Iraq in the tournament, and the team’s board won’t accept any abuse toward any country. We dealt with the Algerian team with full respect and appreciation in Karbala,” Walid al-Zaydi, the deputy head of the administrative board of the Iraqi team, told Kooora.
The Algerians didn’t treat them in the same spirit, added the deputy head, saying their decision “sprung from loyalty to the country”. The slogans chanted by Algerians “prompted us to withdraw from the match.”
The Iraqi Football Federation (IFF) strongly rejected the “sectarian and racist slogans.” Its head threatened to resign from his position as deputy head of UAFA and withdraw Iraqi teams from the tournament if no concrete action is taken.
“As our Iraqi Federation expresses its deep regrets due to what happened, the head of the federation Mr. Abdulkhaliq Masoud followed up in his telephone calls with officials of Arab Associations and his total rejection of what happened in abuse to the Iraqi team,” read an IFF statement.
A “strongly worded complaint, backed by documents and evidence” will be given to the UAFA to make a “fair decision” that would reclaim the “respect and existence” of Iraqi football.
The supervisor of Sport Teams in Iraq’s Ministry of Defense told Al Iraqiya that they were protected by Algerian security, adding that slogans against Iraq were solely during the match.
The deputy head of the administrative board, Walid al-Zaydi, revealed to Kooora that they were surrounded by Algerian fans at Omar Hamadi Stadium after they withdrew.
The Iraqi Media Network, of whom Al Iraqiyah is part, announced that it would not cover Algerian teams until Algiers apologizes for “the abuse of its fans against Iraqi unity.”
Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement explained that the slogans were related to the previous Iraqi regime and Saddam Hussein
Some “malevolent individuals” present at the game and “abused the deep brotherly relations between the brotherly countries,” according to the ministry.
“In addition to the ministry demanding clarification from relevant parties connected to such condemnable behavior, it summons the ambassador of the Republic of Algeria in Baghdad to notify him — and through him the Algerian government — of its refusal and anger of Iraq as a government and people,” added the ministry.
The government of Algeria needed to protect Iraqis in Algeria and “abstain from all who could provoke our people and burnish the despicable face of our ordeal with the extinct dictatorial Saddam regime”, added the ministry.
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