The stands of Rijeka Stadium were supposed to be empty during the match between Croatia and England in the European Nations League, in implementation of a penalty imposed by the European Football Association (UEFA) on the Croatian team due to racist and discriminatory behavior by its fans, but the scene was different, after about 6,200 children came to a stadium whose capacity did not exceed about 8,200 spectators, for the match to be held “behind closed doors” in front of almost full stands.
This paradox sparked widespread controversy in the English press, which raised questions about the effectiveness of the penalties imposed by UEFA in cases of racism, and whether the exceptions allowed by its regulations make the penalty of public deprivation lose a large part of its impact.
The European Union had decided to oblige Croatia to play one match on its home soil behind closed doors due to the racist and discriminatory behavior of its fans, in order to apply the penalty against England. However, the regulations allow in such cases for children up to the age of 14 to attend schools and football academies, accompanied by adults responsible for them.
It was initially expected that about 3,000 children would attend, before the number rose to about 6,200, while about 100 English fans were also allowed to attend with exceptional free tickets. Thus, while the match on paper was being held behind closed doors, in reality it seemed more like a public confrontation, with most of the stadium’s seats filled and cheers rising from the stands.
The Guardian newspaper stopped at this paradox, considering that allowing such a large number of children to attend raises questions about the message that UEFA wants to convey in the face of racism, especially since the penalty was imposed mainly against the backdrop of racist and discriminatory behavior.
The objection to the presence of children in the stands was not in itself, as much as it revolved around the philosophy and purpose of the punishment. Closing the stadium is supposed to constitute a deterrent measure for the federation and its fans after serious violations, but allowing most of its seats to be filled through exceptions makes the difference between the regular match and the one held under public punishment less clear.
Allowing children to attend does not constitute a precedent in European Union competitions, as regulations allow this exception in matches held behind closed doors, and it has been used on previous occasions. However, the large number who attended the Croatia-England confrontation brought this rule back to the forefront, and opened the discussion about the need to review it.
The irony is that Croatia officially implemented the penalty for playing without an audience due to racism, but more than 6,000 children were in the stands. Between the legal text and the image of the stadium, the question emerged that dominated the discussion in England: What is the value of the penalty for closing the stands if most of them can be filled under the exception clause?
The issue goes beyond the Croatia-England match, to UEFA’s policy in dealing with racist violations and the extent to which the current sanctions are able to achieve their deterrent goal. The scene in Rijeka did not reveal a violation of the rules as much as it revealed a loophole within the rules themselves, after a match officially classified “behind closed doors” turned into a confrontation in front of thousands of attendees.
The Irish national football team again wore black armbands and bowed their heads during the playing of the Israeli national anthem before the two teams' second match in the European Nations League, on Sunday.
Israeli players also wore black armbands in memory of those killed in the Hamas-led attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023.
Ireland goalkeeper Caomin Kelleher wore the captain's armband in place of Dara O'Shea, who was allowed to be absent to be by his wife's side during the birth of their child.
Kelleher deliberately did not shake hands with Dor Peretz, the captain of the Israeli national team, despite completing the usual pre-match ceremony with the referee and one of his assistants.
Kelleher thus repeated O'Shea's behavior before the first match in Debrecen, Hungary, last week, when he refused to shake hands with the captain of the Israeli national team, Manor Solomon.
Ireland won that match 3-0, and the goals were scored in the first half.
Solomon sat on the bench in Sunday's match in the Serbian city of Baka Topola, while Israeli striker Sayed Abu Farhi returned to the squad after the end of his suspension, after he was expelled because of the way he celebrated a goal he scored during Israel's 3-1 loss to Austria on September 25 in the same tournament.
Finn Azaz, whose mother is of Israeli descent, was also on the Irish national team's substitute list, after he started the match against Austria last Thursday.
That match was initially scheduled to be held in Dublin, but the Irish Football Association moved the match to a neutral stadium for “operational” reasons last June, following widespread calls for a boycott in protest against Israel’s practices in Gaza, while the Irish Football Association announced that the match would be held without an audience in attendance.
This came in the wake of a proposal submitted by the Irish Federation last November, in which the European Football Association (UEFA) called for a ban on Israel’s participation in continental club and national team competitions.
