Wales fans angry after new twists in controversy over Slovakia game
WALES fans have expressed anger and dismay at two bizarre new twists to the Slovakia behind-closed-doors controversy.
UEFA announced on Monday that Wales’ crunch Euro 2020 qualifier in Trnava must be played in an empty stadium because of racist behaviour of Slovakian fans during their clash with Hungary in Budapest earlier this month.
The decision understandably annoyed 2,137 members of the Red Wall who had spent hundreds of pounds on flights and accommodation for the game in just 15 days’ time.
Yet their frustrations at being told at short notice they won’t be able to watch Wales was compounded further by two new developments in the space of the next 48 hours.
Firstly, UEFA announced Slovakia will host their European under-19 Championships, just a day after punishing them for the racist behaviour.
Then the Slovakian FA revealed they plan to exploit a loophole in the rules and give away free tickets to 20,000 school pupils for the Wales game at the AntonMalatinskyStadium.
New UEFA regulations introduced this season decree behind-closeddoors matches can actually be watched by youngsters up to the age of 14, with one accompanying adult for every 10 of them.
It sets up the absurd prospect of the behind closed doors match actually being attended by 20,000 Slovakian fans - while up to 2,000 Welsh fans, many of whom still intend to travel, are locked outside.
Wales skipper Gareth Bale and his team-mates say their travelling fans give them an extra fillip during away games. The scenario likely to unfold would clearly put Ryan Giggs’ side at a disadvantage.
Cardiff-based Wales fan Andrew Norman, who hasn’t missed a competitive away match in five years, hit out at the decisions.
“It is Slovakia who are meant to be punished because of the racist behaviour of their fans, yet instead it is Wales who are being penalised the most. How on earth can that be fair?” he said.
“The original decision is something we could have grudgingly accepted, because racism clearly has no place in sport, culture or society as a whole.
“Yet for Slovakia to then be chosen to host UEFA’s under-19s Championships indicates they aren’t treating the racism matter as they should.
“We certainly question the timing of that particular announcement, given what the Slovakian FA said was happening with our game earlier.
“Then it’s compounded further by the news they may release tickets for our game to local youngsters.
“So we have a bizarre situation where 18,000 Slovakian school pupils, escorted by 1,800 Slovakian adults, could watch the game in a 20,000 capacity ground – and 2,000 Wales fans are stuck outside.
“It’s riduculous.
“No-one in their right mind can regard this as just.”
Andrew and four of his friends, Jonathan O’Keefe, Anthony Riella and Glenn Villis, have spent in excess of £400 each on travel and hotel and still intend to go to Trnava via Bratislava, which is about an hour away.
A friend of his, Conrad Pheasant, has organised another 30 Wales fans on a separate trip.
Other Wales supporters also say they still intend to travel, having already spent their money. They hope for a last-minute compromise that would enable them to get into the ground to see the game.
Andrew continued: “UEFA are not budging and the FAW have no appeals process. So as things stand we will still be there, cheering on Wales from outside.
“It’s completely wrong. Slovakia are the ones who are meant to be punished, yet they’re going to end up with every bit of the support inside the ground.
“We have no problems with the free tickets being given to local youngsters. The logical thing is to let the Wales fans in as well.
“The alternative is we could have 2,000 Wales fans on the streets of Trnava, potentially a target for a few idiots among the Slovakian fan base.
“Everyone I’ve spoken too feels a strongly as I do about this.
“The original decision is bad enough, if understandable. But the timing of the subsequent announcements is terrible.”
The FA of Wales said: “We are incredibly disappointed as the impact of this decision will harshly affect our supporters who have already incurred the costs of travel and accommodation to attend this match to support the Wales national team.
“We are currently making strong representations to UEFA about this unfair impact on the 2,137 fans who have purchased tickets for this match.
“Our supporters have an excellent reputation and do not deserve to be punished in the same way as the small section of the fans whose conduct has been reprimanded by the imposed UEFA sanction.”
Wales trail the Slovakians by three points in Group E and must avoid defeat. Giggs’ men have a game in hand and are still optimistic they can reach Euro 2020.