Spanish club apologises after Katyn massacre taunt
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
29.08.2013 09:20
Sevilla FC has apologised after a 'Welcome to Katyn' headline appeared on the club's fan web site after the Slask Wroclaw Europa League match in Spain last Thursday.
Screenshot: gate22sfcfans.blogspot.co.uk
The headline was published after Slask Wroclaw lost 4-1 in the first leg of a fourth round qualifying match.
Poland's foreign ministry protested to Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido, saying that “for Polish citizens, these kinds of statements are extremely offensive because they refer to one of the most tragic events in Polish history.”
Over 20,000 Polish officers were killed by Stalin's security services in 1940, known as the 'Katyn massacre'.
“On behalf of the club and our fans I would like to emphasize our respect for the memory of Poles murdered in Katyn and to your beautiful country,” Jose Maria del Nido said after the foreign ministry complaint.
“We hope that this regrettable incident will not affect the excellent relations between our two clubs and nations,” he added.
Prior to the game last Thursday, a brawl had broken out between two groups of fans.
The return match is due to be played tonight in Wroclaw and police are stepping up security to make sure no more violence occurs.
The Polish government has recently announced a crackdown against football hooliganism in Poland after a series of incidents at matches. (pg/nh)
Source: msz.gov.pl, IAR, Fakt