Boycott the European Football Championship?

[Tycho Brahe]

The danish minister of culture (and sport), Uffe Elbæk, will attend the opening match in Ukraine this saturday, between Denmark and Holland. This has caused controversy because of calls for a boycott over the the imprisonment of Ukrainian opposition leader Julia Tymoshenko.

Several EU countries, including those of Sweden, France, Germany, and Holland, announced that they would not be attending games in Ukraine.

Elbæk said he sees the visit as an opportunity to combine his support of the national team with meetings with activist and opposition groups.

So what do you think? Is he an embaresment? Is he a football-fan caught in political correctness gone mad?



Further reading:

Culture minister will attend Euro 2012 in Ukraine
http://cphpost.dk/euro-2012/culture-minister-will-attend-euro-2012-ukraine

MP says Danish politicians should boycott Euro 2012
http://cphpost.dk/euro-2012/mp-says-danish-politicians-should-boycott-euro-2012

Ukraine fights Euro 2012 boycott
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17992679

 

[holy king]

i think there's a lot of people living under worse prison conditions in ukraine than this timoschenko gal.

this whole fabricated moral outrage stuff is ridiculous as always.

 

[Glassfan]

As an American, I hesitate to criticize your cute local Eurocustoms. But I thought the controversy at the Championships was racism. There are numerous stories here about the threats against minority fans (being advised to stay home and watch it on the telly) and the ongoing racial epitaphs, threats and insults against Black, Jewish and Asian players on the field.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Yeah, just can't make myself get in the state of OUTRAGE! regarding Timoshenko.

 

[kochman]

As an American

As an American who loves soccer... sports and politics shouldn't mingle... except on the national level, since national funding is used to support the teams. So things like soccer, the Olympics, etc... yeah. I suppose it can be used as a tool. It's a pretty weak tool though.

 

[Glassfan]

As an American who loves soccer... sports and politics shouldn't mingle... except on the national level, since national funding is used to support the teams. So things like soccer, the Olympics, etc... yeah. I suppose it can be used as a tool. It's a pretty weak tool though.

I think you incorrectly elevate sports to the level of politics. As Dwight Stones (Olympic high-jumper) said of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Boycott; "You can't attend a party in their front yard while they're busy mugging someone in the back."

 

[Tycho Brahe]

As an American, I hesitate to criticize your cute local Eurocustoms. But I thought the controversy at the Championships was racism. There are numerous stories here about the threats against minority fans (being advised to stay home and watch it on the telly) and the ongoing racial epitaphs, threats and insults against Black, Jewish and Asian players on the field.

Theres also that. A lot of fans are staying at home because they don't wan't to meet the local hooligans.

But for the political dignitaries the problem is human rights in Ukraine. Especially the suppression of the opposition.

So far the leaders of the following countries has announced they are staying away: Sweden, Holland, France and Germany.

Russia, Poland and Denmark are the only ones not doing a boycott. Poland obviosly because they are co-hosting the turnament.

 

[Leoreth]

As an American, I hesitate to criticize your cute local Eurocustoms.

You just did.

Anyways, holy king is right. It's just fabricated moral outrage, created by politicians who want to use some of the attention for political profit. I mean, I do think there's a lot to criticize about Ukraine, but it's annoying that it's implied all the time that Timoshenko is an innocent victim. Maybe the trial wasn't sound, and her prison conditions are certainly abhorrent, but if anyone really cared they would have objected a long time ago.

(By the way, I don't think the German government has decided to boycott the games. Attending a semifinale or finale match isn't out of the question afaik if our team makes it that far).

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

It wouldn't take a great deal for me to not go to Ukraine or Poland to watch soccer either

 

[Tycho Brahe]

...
(By the way, I don't think the German government has decided to boycott the games. Attending a semifinale or finale match isn't out of the question afaik if our team makes it that far).

(Easy for her to say. If the danish statsminister said the same, there would be at much larger change she wouldn't go annyway, bacause the danish team didn't qualify.)

 

[attackfighter]

As long they do not throw bananas at Balotelli, they have nothing to fear.

But South Africa and South American countries this was hosted at are more crime ridden hellholes than Ukraine, right? So this isn't about pragmatism, trying to protect the fans/players, but rather about sending a political message: all European countries that do not conform to West European cultural standards shall be arbitrarily barred from European affairs from time to time.

 

[kochman]

I'm more upset about how poorly Holland has played... jeez.

 

[Leoreth]

I'm not upset about that at all

 

[DroopyTofu]

Just because some people in the nation feel they should be boycotted, I don't see that as any reason that someone else should be stopped from going just because they're an elected official. If he personally doesn't support the ban, then he should be allowed to watch the match without the rest of the nation being upset.

 

[attackfighter]

Oops - I didn't read the opening post before posting my previous message. Disregard it.

 

[innonimatu]

Monstrous indeed, to have arrested one corrupt scumbag (so many more to go, though). Imagine if the idea spreads. I can fully understand why so many western european politicians are concerned.

 

[Tycho Brahe]

Monstrous indeed, to have arrested one corrupt scumbag (so many more to go, though). Imagine if the idea spreads. I can fully understand why so many western european politicians are concerned.

The corrupt scumbag is Julia Tymoshenko?

Just out of curiosity, are you russian yourself?

 

[ParkCungHee]

The corrupt scumbag is Julia Tymoshenko?

Why do you imagine Ukraine is only capable of producing a singular corrupt scumbag?

P.S. remember a few years back when Tymoshenko was the evil, corrupt minion of Putin?

 

[Leoreth]

Monstrous indeed, to have arrested one corrupt scumbag (so many more to go, though). Imagine if the idea spreads. I can fully understand why so many western european politicians are concerned.

Yeah, because the people keeping her in arrest are paragons of moral purity

Why must we always discuss the dichotomy between "Timoshenko is a saint and Yushchenko a tyrant" and "let the witch rot"? Can't Timoshenko be corrupt and her trial still be rigged? Or can't the accusations against her be true and can she still be treated inhumanely? Could it be possible that there probably thousands who are treated exactly like her just because of political dissent?

This fixation on the Timoshenko affair annoys me greatly, by both the defenders and detractors of the Ukrainian regime.

 

[Winner]

This fixation on the Timoshenko affair annoys me greatly, by both the defenders and detractors of the Ukrainian regime.

I think it's only right to remind those in charge in Kiev that the rest of Europe knows what they're doing. I share your scepticism about the sincerity of the politicians' motives, but still.

At least football can be of use sometimes, otherwise it's just so ridiculously boring that I struggle to understand why people keep watching it.