Uefa orders removal of nationalist slogan on Ukraine jersey
Moscow/Kyiv, Jun 10 (EFE).- Uefa has asked the Ukrainian national team to remove the nationalist slogan “Glory to the Heroes” from its Euro 2020 jersey due to its political nature, according to Russian news agencies.
The shirt was presented Sunday by the Ukrainian Football Association and was quickly flagged a “political provocation” by the Russian Football Union and political figures.
The main instigator of Russian outrage was a map of Ukraine outlined around the national emblem on the jersey, which includes the Crimean peninsula, a territory claimed by Russia since its annexation in 2014.
It also included two slogans associated in Russia with Ukrainian ultranationalists: “Glory to Ukraine” and “Glory to the Heroes.”
Uefa argued the combination of the two slogans and the map denotes a clear political nature with historic and militaristic significance.
The slogan “Glory to the Heroes,” sewn inside the shirt, will have to be taken off the Ukraine Euro 2020 kit, whereas “Glory to Ukraine,” visible on the outside of the jersey, can remain.
The Ukrainian Football Association announced it will attempt to negotiate with Uefa to keep the slogan on the shirt.
The request by Uefa contradicts the organization’s initial decision Monday to stand by the original design, arguing that all jerseys had been approved by Uefa, including Ukraine’s. EFE
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