© EuroFootball.com
T
At the INEA stadium, "Lech" fans unfurled a huge banner several times with the inscription: "Lithuanian scum, kneel before the Polish lords!". This reflected events from a week ago in Vilnius, where Polish fans constantly chanted slogans emphasizing that the city belongs to Poland.
"The MFA strongly condemns the incident in Poznan. The anti-Lithuanian banner is a scandalous and foolish event, completely contrary to the position of the Polish state," said a ministry representative. "Every such meeting should be a celebration of sports and healthy competition, not a way to express ignorance."
Apologies to the Lithuanians
The President of the Polish Football Association, Zbigniew Boniek, apologized to the Lithuanians for the behavior of the "Lech" fans.
"We sincerely apologize for this incident. We deeply regret such a scandalous banner. Although the federation is not involved in this in any way, we condemn this action and the people who acted so foolishly and harmfully," he said.
Boniek also said: "Poland is a welcoming country that warmly receives people from all over the world. This was already proven during the European Championship last year. It is very unfortunate that the incident occurred in Poznan, which performed excellently in the championship."
City officials will make a decision on Saturday
The Mayor of Poznan, Ryszard Grobelny, also expressed his surprise that this happened in his city. "It is a foolish, malicious, and intolerable incident. I did not expect this from "Lech" fans. We all feel ashamed because of them. First and foremost, this problem should be addressed by the club, but we will consider how city officials could help."
Meanwhile, security personnel at the INEA stadium said they had received information before the match that there would be political or offensive incidents. However, it was too late to react upon seeing the banner: "From experience, we know that attempting to enter a full crowd can only end in confrontation and outbreaks of violence.
