Hungary: Unfairly punishing soccer fans

last updated 8 January 2015

Szeretö Szabolcs

Magyar Nemzet

Hungarian soccer fans are being punished en masse for the actions of a few, said Szeretö Szabolcs. More than six months ago, during an exhibition game in Budapest between Hungary and Israel, some of the Hungarian fans shouted anti-Semitic taunts and waved Palestinian and Iranian flags. That was inexcusable. But the reaction by FIFA, the international soccer body, is incomprehensible. It ruled this week that Hungary must play its World Cup qualifier against Romania in an empty stadium. The unprecedented ruling is “painful, unjust, and extreme.” Anti-Semites are not the only soccer fans being punished—indeed, all of Hungary is stigmatized. The national team, which did nothing wrong, will be deprived of “the support that could spur it to victory,” and now it may not even make it to the World Cup. And for what? To teach Hungarian anti-Semites a lesson? If that is the goal of this outrageous ruling, it is “highly counterproductive.” Unfairly singling out Hungary for harsh treatment only strengthens the far right. Instead of marginalizing anti-Semitism in Hungary, FIFA has given the haters “the biggest boost they’ve had in years.” Now they have a new rallying cry: “Hungary is not your soccer ball to kick around!”