(Alex Frey’s penalty punches the Swiss ticket to Germany 2006)
Turkey were eliminated on aggregate yesterday (4-4, Switzerland winning on away goals)…and predictably, all hell broke loose.
Fifa’s Swiss president, Sepp Blatter, said sanctions against Turkey could amount to the suspension of the Turkish federation or a ban from the 2010 World Cup.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Blatter said about the incidents following Turkey’s 4-2 victory in Istanbul in what was the second leg of the qualifying round.
“That makes me angry. Something is wrong in football if that can happen,” Blatter told Swiss radio.
He told a news conference later on Thursday that he was speaking as Fifa president, and not as a Swiss.
“We will act fast and harshly,” added Blatter. “It was not fair play. The Turks had an opportunity to show they were welcoming hosts and that revenge was not an option in football.”
Turkey criticised Blatter for commenting on the violent scenes that followed Wednesday’s match.
“I am disappointed to hear the statements of the Fifa president before the reports of the match are unveiled,” Mehmet Ali Sahin, state minister responsible for sports told journalists.
“He spoke as a Swiss fan instead of as a president … These kinds of statements are misleading to decision-makers,” he continued.
If there were any doubts still whether or not Turkey is a European nation that should be welcomed to the EU family, I think it’s now safe to say that they have proved to be very European indeed. Just bring some video tape to Brussels with the application process. Should be a cinch.