Not all the news from Bosnia is gloomy or negative as of late--the faltering campaign to qualify for Euro 2008 just got a boost this weekend with a 2-1 victory on the road at Norway:
Bosnian Team Snatches All Three Points in Norway
My good friends the "BH Fanaticos" were in full-on Ultra/Hooligan form, forcing a 37 minute game delay by bombarding the field with flares (slightly injuring Bosnian keeper Adnan Guso, who managed to go on and play a very good game), but fortunately no one was hurt. I'll forgive their over-zealousness, given that enthusiasm for Bosnia's national team is something of a new phenomena. Hopefully, this encouraging display of attractive, positive football by a young team with lots of potential might encourage some non-Muslim Bosnians to at least consider supporting the national team rather than Serbia or Croatia.
5 comments:
Go Bosnia!!
Although as someone who is completely unethusiastic about sports with the exception of figure skating (and yes, it is a sport ;-) ) I don't really get sports fanatics at all ;-)
Oh, well to each his/her own.
Congrats to the team. :)
Oh, I agree Owen. How sadly ironic that the Bosnian ultras damn near managed to injure their own goalkeeper?
Throwing anything on the field is stupid. Throwing things that can start fires is criminal.
Hi guys,
As an ordinary Bosnian I can't find words to express my highest admiration for you and your efforts in helping remember the Serb agression against our country and the genocide they committed. In this time when denial is widespread,accepted as truth,and systematically "broadcast" by media and now even by the Srebrenica judgment of the "highest court on Earth (ICJ)", you are sending us a message that there are still good people in this world and I would like you to know how much we appreciate everything you do.
I just wanted to explain shortly the BH Fanaticos behaviour you commented. Their actions were no hooliganism. There was deeper reason for what they did. Namely, for some time already, they have been trying to end the tripartite nationalist-type organized presidency of Bosnian Soccer Federation (Serb,Croat,Bosniak)which is a simply copied pattern of the Bosnian state as divided by the Dayton Agreement. Just like the state, the Bosnian Soccer Federation can not function due to such divided organisation. However, if there is still no power which could erase the consequences of genocide (Republika Srpska)in the political field, the BH Fanaticos are the power which at the moment is combatting the corrupted nationalists in the Bosnian Soccer Federation and the corrupted system of that organization. Eight players of the national team refused to play in protest, as well. This is a very important "fight", and we need to help the Fanaticos and spread the word about what really happens and ask all other sports fans to excuse their behaviour, because that's the only way they can send a message. They even displayed a banner "Bosnian Soccer Federation = Mafia". At this time, they are the only "force" that at least is able to do something against the final division of Bosnia, which would be the last act of the genocide. Bosnia is in truoble and these guys are fighting to help Bosnia survive, just like you guys are doing. We are all in the same team!
Thank you for that!
Love
Thanks to 'anonymous' for that input. I was not aware of the context of the BH Fanaticos actions.
It makes sense, in that the flares were thrown out more or less in unison at the start of the game. It did seem as if the timing were odd, and as far as I recall there were no further incidents after that.
I still think throwing flares on the field is just a really bad idea--just imagine of Guso had been badly injured by the flare that hit him in the back! However, I don't want to overreact either--one thing I love about soccer is that fans are something more than passive sheep obediently keeping to their assigned seats and clapping from time to time when the PA tells them too. It's all part of the beautiful game!
Thanks for your perspective--I have the BH Fanaticos website bookmarked on my PC at home. Given what you've told me, perhaps I need to link to it on my blog as well!
Peace, amigo!
Thank you so much for you interests for our national team.
As you already know reason why this happen in OSLO , here you have chance (in the case that you missed game) to see some photos and clips.
Thank you again and good luck in your work.
http://www.fxt.no/norge/article945556.ece
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/5131/norveskasbhqsduk1.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/6805/bh...5icosjpgwl3.jpg
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7933/no...bhprekidtd8.jpg
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4515/norveskabhqsdmg3.jpg
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/6799/no...abosna34ca9.jpg
Btw. This is our schedule for upcoming games.
02.06.2007. BiH - Turska
06.06.2007. BiH - Malta
08.09.2007. Madjarska - BiH (najjace gostovanje)
12.09.2007. BiH - Moldavija
13.10.2007. Grcka - BiH
17.10.2007. BiH - Norveska
21.11.2007. Turska - BiH
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