Published 19:09 IST, October 17th 2019
UEFA mulls taking Champions League 2020 final out of Istanbul
Due to the political tensions between Turkey and Syria, many countries, especially Italy, have appealed to the UEFA to shift the Champions League finals' venue.
European football's governing body, the UEFA are said to be discussing the prospect of changing the venue of the Champions League 2019-20 final. The finale was set to take place at the Ataturk Stadium in Turkey's capital city of Istanbul. However, Turkey's military conflicts with Kurds in Syria has made security a massive concern. According to British media reports, the Turkish national team players' gesture of giving a salute to the crowd after celebrating their draw against France in the recent Euro 2020 qualifier, seems to be the last nail in the coffin.
Reactions so far
UEFA Vice President Michele Uva has already confirmed that they have been receiving appeals recently from football authorities across Europe to shift the venue due to military operations. According to Italian news agency ANSA, the Italian football federation is said to have already written a letter to the UEFA, expressing their concerns over the issue.
“We must make the bravest decision and show, once again, that football is an instrument for peace," the letter read. “We must consider at this time whether it is appropriate [for Turkey to host the final] due to the very serious acts against the Kurdish civilian population. We know well that the seriousness of what is happening in Syria will not be resolved with this act but we are all aware of the importance (political, media, economic, cultural) that belongs to one of the most important sporting events in the world," it added. The UEFA is expected to take up this issue in its next executive council meeting on December 4, 2019.
Updated 22:04 IST, October 17th 2019