Should UEFA consider regional issues in draws?
By: Ian Rose | July 31st, 2007The Partizan Belgrade affair this week, which saw them first ejected from the UEFA Cup, then maybe-sort of let back in, brings up an interesting question. Should UEFA take regional and/or ethnic tensions into account when deciding early-round tournament draws? I know it sounds a bit strange, and I do not for a second mean to take the blame away from Belgrade fans that assaulted both opposing fans and police officers. However, UEFA already makes an effort to avoid matching up teams from the same country in early rounds of its tournaments - is it really so different to make the same concession in cases of extreme and recent conflict? Don’t get me wrong, Partizan Belgrade fans have a record of irresponsible and violent behavior and it should not be tolerated. But is an early (and thus, easily avoidable) tie between Bosnian and Serbian sides the best idea?
Personally, I think there’s an argument to be made that neighboring countries in recent conflict might not make the best footballing bedfellows. But, there’s also an argument to be made that football between recent combatants could be part of the ongoing peace process. And a third argument that all this has bugger-all to do with football and it should be picked purely based on UEFA coefficient. I’m curious to know what you think.
Please comment with your thoughts.
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Its almost criminally negligent for UEFA to set clubs from the Balkan countries for what will undoubtedly be violent clashes. Anyone with knowledge of the region could have told you that. Peace through football is a noble idea, but one that just doesn’t take into account the realities on the ground. And in these countries its not just the recent fighting, this stuff goes centuries back, and will not go away for a sporting event.
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