Lately pan-Armenian number one issue has become the football match between Armenia and Ireland, parts of which are discussed by everybody, from football fans to people that have nothing to do with that beautiful game. Euro-2012 qualification stage showed that the Armenian National Football Federation has an intellectual coach who is familiar with football features and philosophy, professional players that have their own style, are united and devoted to their work, a team that can beat any rival. The Armenian Football Federation (AFF) has taken respective steps to protest against the violations committed by the referee during the match in the framework of the UEFA regulations. The Armenian football fans and our prospective and great team should be supported by all legally possible means and civilized methods. From this viewpoint, some ideas hereinafter expressed may become a subject of discussion. The non-football, but essential part of the match between Ireland and Armenia, was the step taken by the president of Ireland, when she personally went down the stairs onto the field and greeted football players of both teams and the referees and according to the ceremonial publicly wished everybody fair play. Despite the reasons for that action, including the fact that Ireland is going to hold a presidential election in the short run, in which the current president is going to take part, Mrs. President’s chess move in the football perspective should be undoubtedly welcomed. With that move the president became the guarantor of fair play during the match between Ireland and Armenia, signifying also the affinity of sports and political struggle. Not referring to the judge’s violations during the match between Armenia and Ireland, I only want to mention that the rivalry formula was the following; 10 Armenian brave men were fighting 12 Irishmen. The well-known confession of the Irish player would have been useful and acceptable, if he had done it during that very encounter, and not after the match, when everything was already over. Two years ago the Irish team became the victim of the notorious mistake made by a judge during a match between France and Ireland, when Thierry Henry handled the ball. Therefore the Irish team that knows what unfairness is like has the opportunity to show moral attitude and integrity and offer UEFA to discuss the application to replay the match between Ireland and Armenia; this will be a precedent in the world of football in terms of fair play, regardless of what decision UEFA will make. From that perspective the Armenian football players may support the Irish team – they can refer to the President of Ireland who attended the match between Ireland and Armenia and unintentionally became the guarantor of fair play during the match, in order that Mrs. President asks, supports or calls for the team, without interfering into the internal affairs of the Irish National Team and Football Federation, to discuss the issue of applying to UEFA for match replay. Not cherishing delusions, I would like to point out what an awkward position will the denial of the Armenian football fans’ request put the very people who will deny it, and the Irish President’s civilized and appropriate reaction will be accepted by the democratic community and will become a serious precedent signifying that fair play is more important than the result. I am ready to participate in discussions over ideas, such as this, aiming at supporting our football fans and our team. After finding appropriate format and mechanisms of the National Assembly participation in the process, the above-mentioned civic initiative may be combined with the parliamentary diplomacy. If there are people who think that the football match should not be given political overtone and sports should not be interfered, let us remind them that there are precedents. For example, after the above-mentioned match, when Thierry Henry’s handball appeared to be decisive, Ireland demanded at the state level to replay the match between Ireland and France. Although the FIFA functionaries very strictly denied that demand, but the fact remains. Furthermore, Nicolas Sarkozy apologized to Ireland for Henry’s handball, and the Irish Prime Minister responded to that, “Football should be based on fair play.” In another case, when the French National Team lost the matches of the 2010 World Championship, the reasons for unsuccessful game were discussed at closed-door hearings of the French parliament. Sepp Blatter’s threat to remove the French team from the competition for mixing football and politics was also discussed during those hearings. The French parliamentarians responded that FIFA had no right to threaten the legislators, “we live in a democratic society and legislators can summon anyone they want.” In his turn, French President Nicolas Sarkozy held a discussion over football issues with the Prime Minister and the Sports Minister. And the last example, when in 2014 the Football Federation of Brazil did not include world-famous Pele in the Organizing Committee of the FIFA World Cup to be held in Brazil in 2014, the President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff personally invited Pele and appointed him the World Cup Ambassador of Brazil. There may be more examples, but let’s be satisfied with the mentioned and create our own precedent.
P.S. Only naïve people may be attracted to the vision of winning moral victories or overestimate the effectiveness of the move offered. This kind of mentality is as plain and superficial, as not making any moves, disregarding what has happened and accepting it.