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WARSAW, Poland—Racism and violence involving Russias fans have marred the
start of the European Championship and confirmed fears that Euro 2012 could be a
troubled tournament. Laurent Robinson Jersey . Fans of co-host
nations Poland and Ukraine had been seen as a potential source of racial abuse,
following a damning investigation by the BBC. Instead, Russia became the main
security issue after evidence emerged Saturday of incidents at the Wroclaw
stadium where it beat the Czech Republic 4-1 on Friday. Czech defender Theodor
Gebre Selassie, who is black, was the target of racial abuse reported by
official fan monitors to Euro 2012 organizer UEFA. Russia supporters later
fought stadium stewards in an attack seen worldwide after footage circulated
online. Wroclaw police said four people were treated in a hospital. A
potentially volatile clash between Russia and Poland looms in Warsaw on Tuesday
—a Russian national holiday with fans planning to march from the city centre
to the stadium. A Russia team spokesman, Nikolai Komarov, said the federation
declined comment on details of the reported incidents. However, Komarov told The
Associated Press in a telephone interview: “The federation has many fans, you
dont have control over them all.” Saturdays reports tarnished what was a
successful opening day for Euro 2012. Two compelling matches followed constant
negative headlines regarding social and political issues in the eastern European
neighbours, including monkey chants aimed at Netherlands players during a public
practice Wednesday at Krakow, Poland. UEFA has pledged zero tolerance of
discrimination during the three-week tournament. To help achieve this, it asked
the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) fans network to send two monitors
to each match offensive banners, chants and behaviour in stadiums, and report to
UEFA within 24 hours. On Saturday, FARE said it identified verbal insults
targeted at Gebre Selassie, whose father is Ethiopian. “There was some
suggestion that the Czech defender went to take a corner and had a few
problems,” FARE executive director Piara Powar told the AP. Fans also displayed
a nationalist “Russian Empire” flag which “we take as evidence of far-right
sensibilities,” Powar said in a telephone interview. Powar said FARE officials
aimed to provide footage of Gebre Selassie being abused. “We are trying to get
that evidence, and its not always possible to capture it on film,” he said.
Still, film was available showing some Russian fans attacking security staff.
Polish police said the four injured stewards “were not badly injured, and
security footage was being studied to identify those involved. UEFA said in a
statement that “around 30 fans” attacked the stewards in a “brief and isolated
incident. “The situation was quickly and efficiently brought under control,” the
statement said, though footage appeared to show attackers walking away from the
scene. The 16 competing teams national federations are responsible for their
fans actions. They would be fined by UEFA before facing possible expulsion from
Euro 2012 for repeated offences. Four years ago, UEFA fined Croatia 20,000 Swiss
francs (then $19,600) for its fans neo-Nazi flags and chants during a Euro 2008
quarterfinals loss against Turkey in Vienna, Austria. On Sunday, Croatia plays
Ireland in Poznan, Poland. “We dont expect UEFA to act on every report,” Powar
acknowledged. “Its tough to evidence everything that could be admissible in a
hearing.” Powar also expressed concern at possible nationalist flashpoints in
Tuesdays march, even if Russia fans are denied permission by Warsaw city
authorities to go ahead. “There is a feeling that the Russians will do it
anyway,” he said. “We have got a lot of people out and we will be looking.”
Powar said Polish feelings were agitated by Russia basing its players in a
Warsaw hotel neighbouring the countrys presidential palace, close to a shrine
commemorating the Smolensk air disaster. Polands then state president Lech
Kaczynski was among 96 people who died on April 10, 2010 when their airplane
crashed in Russia. Conspiracy theories persist in Poland that Russia was
complicit in the crash. Concerns of racism at Euro 2012 were fueled last month
by a British television program, entitled “Stadiums of Hate,” showing
discrimination and violent incidents at recent club matches in Poland and
Ukraine. It was broadcast in Poland this week. Racism marred the Netherlands
preparations for its opening match Saturday against Denmark after several
spectators made monkey noises at players during a squad practice in Krakow,
Poland, which was attended by 25,000 people. UEFA President Michel Platini has
said that his organization has given referees the power to stop and abandon
matches if crowds racially abused players. After Italy forward Mario Balotelli
threatened to leave the field if abused, Platini warned players they would get
yellow cards for acting alone to protest. Gebre Selassie said this week that he
would not walk off the field. “Im not ready to give up,” said the 25-year-old
player. “I definitely wont leave. Ill stay until they throw stones at me.” Maurice Jones-Drew Jersey . Four days after
team owner Jim Irsay ignited speculation about a possible trade with a series of
Twitter posts, the Colts acquired former first-round draft pick Vontae Davis to
solidify their secondary. Maurice Jones-Drew Camo Jersey . The move,
retroactive to May 17, was made Thursday following a 2-1 loss to Cleveland that
completed a three-game sweep. Batting .331 and setting the table for Detroits
power hitters, Jackson has been out since he got hurt on a swing May 16. http://www.shopthejaguarsjersey.com/maurice-jones-drew-jerseys
. The Braves optioned outfielder Jose Constanza to Triple-A Gwinnett. As
expected, the Braves also called up right-hander Julio Teheran from Gwinnett to
start Sundays game and optioned backup catcher J. Maurice Jones-Drew Black Jersey . Toronto
scored three power-play goals, two from captain Ryan Hamilton, in a 3-1 win over
the Rochester Americans on Saturday evening. Last season, the Marlies were
ranked near the bottom of the AHL on power play. Brad Meester Jersey . Lidge signed a $1
million, one-year contract as a free agent in the off-season to add veteran
bullpen depth behind closer Drew Storen and All-Star Tyler Clippard, but the
35-year-old right-hander couldnt find the form that made him a two-time All-Star
with Houston and Philadelphia.The Winnipeg Goldeyes found themselves trailing
the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 11-1 after three innings. Not surprisingly, they
didnt recover. RedHawks centrefielder Nic Jackson had a double, a home run and
five runs batted in while third baseman Ryan Stovall had two singles, a home and
three RBI, as the RedHawks pounded eight Goldeyes pitchers for 16 runs on 13
hits (along with nine walks) as the ‘Hawks won their third straight from the
Fish and took the four-game series in Winnipeg, three-games-to-one. The final
score was 16-7 and it was a tribute to the resiliency of a Goldeyes team that,
as manager Rick Forney said, “has nothing left in the tank.” With 6,628
spectators looking on, the RedHawks scored a run in the first off Goldeyes
starter and loser Chris Zbin (0-1, 15.43 ERA), but the Fish battled back with a
run in the bottom of the first as Price Kendall singled and eventually came
around to score on a base hit by Jon Weber. But thats when the roof fell in on
the Goldeyes. Fargo put up three in the second and then seven in the third and
there was no air left in Winnipegs balloon. “We were manhandled,” Forney said.
“You cant walk that many guys and have a chance to win. Especially when the
other team is running, you know theyre running and you dont adjust your delivery
in order to hold runners. But its tough for kids to come into a league like this
where its so fast for them. If they dont get through a couple of innings
unscathed it just piles up on them and they can get manhandleed. Justin Blackmon Youth Jersey. .” With the
score 11-1 in the fourth, the Goldeyes tried to battle back as Dan Barbero and
David Narodowski each drove in runs and Price Kendall knocked in a pair with a
bases-loaded single, but 11-5 was as close as Winnipeg would come. In the fifth,
Jackson hit a two-run homer and Stovall hit a three-run bomb and that was it.
The Fish put up a run in the seventh and another in the eighth, but this one was
over early. Aaron Shafer (2-4, 6.43) got the win for Fargo, who improved to
17-19 on the season. The Goldeyes fell to 21-15 and now lead Sioux Falls by just
a game and a half in the race for first in the North Division. “In a three-game
series, other than the start we got from Ace, we got starts of 4.2 innings, two
and two,” Forney said. “Youre going to get your brains beat out if you dont get
longer starts and we got our brains beat out today. “Our guys have nothing left
in the tank right now. The life has been sucked right out of this team (with
injuries, call-ups and a tough early-season travel schedule). We arent even
going to take batting practice for the next three days. I want the guys to rest
and use one three-hour window a day to play the games. We need some rest.”
Monday night the Sioux City Explorers will open a three-game series at Shaw Park
in Winnipeg. Matt Rusch (4-1, 1.97 ERA) will get the start in the opener for the
Goldeyes. Game time is 7 p.m. and it can be heard live on TSN Radio 1290 with
Paul Edmonds calling the play-by-play. ’ ’ ’