Posted on 03/21/2008 9:18:23 AM PDT by BabaYaga
Swimmer Milorad Čavić has been suspended from the European Championships in Eindhoven.
Čavić wore a t-shirt with the message “Kosovo is Serbia” during the medals ceremony for the 50 meters butterfly, where he won gold.
The European swimming governing body LEN decided that the t-shirt worn by the new European record holder “contained a political message” which contravened the organization’s rules.
(Excerpt) Read more at b92.net ...
Ted Kennedy?
... but a Che Guevara t-shirt would be OK.
“... but a Che Guevara t-shirt would be OK.”
I bet you’re right.
If political messages are in fact prohibited, it seems like a pretty easy decision here.
So much for free speech. Somehow, I think that if he had been wearing a politically correct t-shirt the punishment would have been much more lenient if any punishment was given at all. What right do sports authorities have to limit the political speach of their participants - this seems completely unrelated to rules designed to ensure a fair tournament.
And are you going to "swim for that fake state you call Kosova"?
But then those Euro Nazis would not have made their point -- "You dare not challenge us or we will crush you!"
I'd like to know which one of them could actually read cyrillic!
My first thought was: “What kind of championship would Teddy be involved in”?
I actually agree to some extent, but the severity of the punishment was pretty excessive.
What I mean about "to some extent" is that" would "Texas is America" be "a political statement"? No, not really. It is only if there is a dispute over Texas between those who see it as "an independent state", vs. those who see it as "America", that it becomes truly "political". If you are an American, then "Texas is America" is just a statement of fact.
How would they have reacted to the black American atheletes , 68 Olympics, when they raised their fists in the air during the playing of the national anthem, I wonder????
I'm sure if this was any other nationality they would let this slide. Serbia never recognized an independent KosovO so it is an appropriate shirt in my book!!!
Fair enough, Baba. Thought that you were an Kosovo Albanian who showed up to gloat — we’ve been getting a lot of that lately, especially after the US embassy fiasco. Sorry.
"The decision has ruled out Cavic's bid for gold in 100m butterfly and freestyle races. The decision could not be appealed, reports said.
"He is particularly disappointed because he has been feeling so well," his manager Petar Popovic said, describing the LEN decision as "unsensible and unexpected."
"He is in excellent form and hardly anybody could have resisted him," Popovic said.
"it was implied that Cavic was politically active, but I think it is LEN dabbing in politics much more," the manager said. "I wonder what they would have said if he wore a shirt saying 'Free Tibet'."
Tell the people in Belgrade they are not alone.
“Hey people! I was sarcastic about that one. I`m from Belgrade. People here are furious about those double standards.”
Hello, Baba, some of us here are furious about those double standards as well. I wish we knew how to help you.
He makes me proud of my Serbian heritage, Baba. Tell him that for us. NEDAJSE!!!!!
Actually, Cavic put his life & career where many Serbs only put maybe their mouth and keyboard. A brave man, indeed!
:-) I like that flag...Serbs are desperate, scared and affraid of repeating the `90s. I only wish Americans know the real truth. There are pressures on every level even in sport competitions, `cose EU are angry that just 30 or some states recognised Kosovo and crucified it again. Croatia, Hungary and Bulgaria even made mutual agreement to recognize it. Albanians continued with provocations even after proclaiming inDependance. The crisis with medicaments in serbian enclaves almost led to human catastrophy.
And here`s small episode from Croatia (Albanians also have big comunity in Croatia, especially in Istra):
http://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak.aspx?id=378749
Tuesday 18.3.2008 12:49
THREATING SMS MESSAGES ALBANIANS FROM RIJEKA EXCHANGED BETWEEN THEMSELVES
Inspite of indications that threats sent to Albanians from Rijeka and Pula via SMS are connected with recent Kosovo independence, police found out in fact, those threats were exchanged between Albanians themselves.
According to Reagional Express investigation showed those messages are in fact made out by Ljuljezima and Bekim Cenaj, whose bad sense of humor will be rewarded with criminal charges.
Here was what has happened: in night between 20. And 21. of February baker from Pula Riza Cenaj`s delivery vehicle was blown up. Next morning his nephew reported to the police that he receved threats via SMS stating: “Do not dare to become too proud, otherwise same thing will happen to you, just as it happened to your cousin in Pula, Kosovo is heart of Serbia and it will be forever. Same thing is written in front of your bakery”. And “Do not call this number you dirty Shiptar, otherwise we will blow up your bakery”.
Unknown perpetratos which blew up delivery vehicle in Pula were not found yet.
Remember poisoned wells some years ago? Those wells were poisoned only for Albanians, even Serbs also used same water. I guess they invented new form of weapon for mass distructure, that works just for one ethnicity (sarc!). They alwes use same scenarios.
I just wander how many of these stuff can Serbs tolerate, stay calm and stil wish to be part of EU. When Austrian Empire anexed Bosnia in 1908. (”just” some 100 years ago) also the whole western Europe applaude on it and recognized that Anschluss. Austria continued to use pressure on Serbia by putting economic embargo on serbian export and trade routs, and also planned the war long before the assasination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife (you can find documents on that at Vienna history archives). We all know what happened in Sarajevo 1914 on Vidovdan - June 28 (at the same day was Battle on Kosovo Field - deadly symbolics). It needs just few crazed “patriots” to burn the match. It was awful to see from my home town what was happening to US Embassy, that what put shade on peaceful protest of more then 300 000 people.
I hope the history will not repeat over serbian heads again. And as a archaeologist I know it does.
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