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No More Anthems - Page 2

People who booed the Uruguayan national anthem didn't act this way out of disrespect for the national anthem. It is a ploy to make your opponents feel intimidated. That is the reason for it, just like booing players when they touch the ball, waste time or dive.

Australians are very respectful towards other societies, we have so many different cultures here. But in the context of that game, the Uruguayans were worse than we were. Four years ago a mob spat at our players and physically taunted them as they were walking through the Montevideo Airport. I don't agree with booing anyone's national anthem, but I think the reasons for it have to be put in context. And it shouldn't be taken so personally.

In this case you may as well ban all singing. If I went to a Manchester United vs Liverpool game, I would be offended by all songs that praised Man Utd. I would also be offended by light hearted banter that targetted players from Liverpool, my team.

This would ruin the game, you may as well play football behind closed doors. I have no time for any songs or chants that are racist, they must be banned. But to ban everything that might offend some people is too much. People go to the games for the atmosphere as well.

I don't believe there is such a thing as a necessary war. The fact that humans must kill each other to solve our problems is failure of our species and should not be celebrated. The World Cup final consistently draws the biggest television audience of any event, war or peace, in the world. It is extremely important to most of the world and especially those countries who are competing.

It may be only a game to some people, but to others it means a whole lot more. Who are we to judge whether it is more important or appropriate for use of the national anthem then war. This sort of decision should be taken to the people of football, not made by a few cosy administrators in Geneva.

Anthems No

Okay, but by doing so in the process they have disrespected a national anthem. It does not really matter to me whether they are doing it for other reasons or not, as long as they are doing it is plainly wrong and should be avoided.

You are right. What I actually meant was specifically about racist songs that make fun of the Holocaust and other terrible episodes in history. I understand and fully support non-threating songs who are just for the purpose to create a fair competition environment.

I did not explain myself properly. What I meant by "two countries fighting on a war", I meant that I do not consider a football game a issue to be so serious or concerned about. It is just a game. Some people may be fanatics and probably the game means more for them but in the end is just a sport competition, that's all...nothing to kill ourselves over it, therefore if something so significant as a national anthem is abused in some degree in a sport field, why to even bother to play it?. Just leave it out of the game period.

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Why should we ban our anthems or singing at all. Our anthems just as much as their's show pride in themselves and their country. If the other team disrespects it don't get upset just play harder. As for singing, if you take that away you might as well say we can't smile or be happy. I for one sing when I'm happy. Yes they should ban disrespectful banter and crude songs, and even racist remarks, but not singing.

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I'll have to disagree with you LDS. I believe sport is a good forum to celebrate one's nationality, hence the use of the national anthem. I don't agree or condone booing the national anthem, but I don't believe there is any genuine malice in it. I didn't get offended when Uruguay booed our national anthem in Montevideo because I knew why they did it.

Racism in sport should not be tolerated regardless of what form it is in.

But there is nothing wrong with a bit of national pride. Just like soldiers, or other lines of work, footballers work very hard to be able to represent their country.

What would the Olympic Games be without national pride and national anthems? A national anthem in my opinion is a song that celebrates nationality. That's all it is and it can be applied to many different arenas.

Edited: arvhic on 27th Nov, 2005 - 4:41am

Anthems No

When a team wins and their national anthem is played it could be seen as a form of gloating. This is why the losing team boos. "You may have beaten us physically, but we still have our spirit." If everyone starts worrying about taking offense we may as well declare every game a tie, we wouldn't want to offend the inferior team.

Edited: Tastanagee on 5th Dec, 2005 - 2:59pm

No More Anthems

In football the Anthem is played before the game so there are no winners yet, only supporters and thus them choosing to disrespect the Anthem at that time has no merit.

No Anthems - Page 2

National Anthems work at The Oympic Games and at Rugby Union Internationals but not so well at football. However banning them would be a mistake. Banning them would be giving in to the yob culture that follows football

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Singing the national anthem before a football game, and lining up the squads is a tradition, and one that I really enjoy. I've read through this discussion, and I understand where LDS_forever was coming from, when the crowd disrespected the Argentine anthem. However, we have to understand there are thousands of fans there, and usually one or more idiots start disrespecting, and then there is some chain reaction of sorts. This will happen regardless.
I, for one, would not want to see this tradition removed from the sport. Playing at the World Cup is a national accomplishment, and why should we take that away from the players by not having their anthem played? I mean there are teams, like T&T who will be there for the first time. Can you imagine the emotions that they will have hearing their anthem played at the World Cup? Even if fans are booing, I don't think the players are even hearing them because of all the national pride they must be feeling at that moment.
I would bet money that if the Argentine team who got booed while their anthem was being played were interviewed today, they wouldn't change a thing. To be booed, then beat the team whose fans were booing you; how sweet is that?