Scandal before the Omonia-Legia match. “The club authorities from Nicosia and Cyprus should apologize to the Poles”
Before the Omonia – Legia Warszawa match, Cypriot fans hung out a banner suggesting that the Red Army had “liberated” the Polish capital. The football community and politicians responded to the matter with one voice.
On Thursday, November 28, Legia Warszawa played away against Omonia Nicosia in the 4th round of the league phase of the Football Conference League. The Polish team turned out to be better on the pitch, with Ryoya Morishita, Mateusz Szczepaniak and Paweł Wszołek securing a three-goal victory.
However, as loud as the final result is the banner that was displayed by Cypriot fans even before the first whistle. One of them has an inscription in English: “On January 17, 1945, the Red Army liberated Warsaw.”
The president of Wisła Kraków is harsh on the behavior of fans before the Legia match. “Embarrassment in the stands”
During the match, the owner of the first league Wisła Kraków reacted and addressed the Minister of Sports and Education of Cyprus, Athena Michaelidou, in English via social media. Jarosław Królewski stated that Omonia Nicosia supporters “disgraced themselves in the stands.” The head of the Wiślak team suggested that “maybe it is worth working on teaching history in schools.” “Apparently it doesn’t work for you and you don’t understand anything,” concluded Królewski.
“At a time when, on Putin’s orders, bombs are falling on Ukrainian cities every day and civilians are being murdered, during the Omonia – Legia Warszawa match, Cypriot fans provoke with outrageous slogans about the alleged ‘liberation’ of Warsaw by the Soviets in 1945. This is unacceptable. I hope they will learn a solid lesson on the pitch. For now we are on the right track. And someone needs to apologize for this scandalous banner. An aggressor is not called a liberator,” said the mayor of the capital, Rafał Trzaskowski.
Omonia – Legia Warszawa. The football community and politicians are outraged by the fans’ behavior
Right after the match, the president of the Polish Football Association also spoke. “I am outraged by yesterday’s scandalous behavior of Omonia Nicosia fans. I appeal to our partners in UEFA to bring strict consequences against the authors of the provocation against our country. I strongly protest against distorting history and insulting Poles,” wrote Cezary Kulesza.
Polsat News asked the Minister of Sport for a comment. – I am outraged by yesterday’s scandalous behavior of Omonia Nicosia fans. I appeal to our partners in UEFA to bring strict consequences against the authors of the provocation against our country. I strongly protest against distorting history and insulting Poles, said Sławomir Nitras.
Minister of Sports on the behavior of fans in Cyprus. “Extremely. Reason for diplomatic intervention”
The politician added that the Polish ambassador to Cyprus should intervene in this matter. – This is something extraordinary and certainly a reason for diplomatic intervention and a reason for very decisive actions on the part of UEFA. The club authorities from Nicosia and Cyprus should apologize to the Poles, summed up Nitras.
