The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in matters of national and international interest.

Standard Group Plc HQ Office,
The Standard Group Center,Mombasa Road.
P.O Box 30080-00100,Nairobi, Kenya.
Telephone number: 0203222111, 0719012111
Email: [email protected]

NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Awkward moment: Wrong national anthem leaves top footballers confused

Football

By AFP | Sep 09, 2019

At its best, sport can promote international harmony, but that was not the case at the Stade de France where the hosts played the Andorran anthem for the Albanian team.

The visitors refused to kick off their Euro 2020 qualifier on Saturday night. When their demand was met, they beamed, sung, celebrated and started the match, which they lost 4-1.

“It was a big thing,” said Albania’s Italian coach Edoardo Reja.

Anthems, and other national symbols such as flags, are an inescapable part of international sports. Yet with surprising frequency, teams solemnly lined up for anthems register surprise or outrage when they find “they aren’t playing our tune.”

On Saturday, the hosts played the anthem of Andorra, the next visitor to the Stade de France, a tune unlikely to cause political offence to anyone.

Keep Reading

Sometimes the errors are understandable. Slovenia’s anthem played after a Slovakian victory at the ice hockey world championships. Other incidents have struck a political nerve.

The often-changed Russian anthem has caused frequent problems. Russia adopted Mikhail Glinka’s ‘Patriotic Song’ in 1991. Nine year’s later, after the election of Vladimir Putin, Russia reverted to a modified version of the old Soviet anthem, retitled ‘State Anthem of the Russian Federation.’

Russian athletes have become adept at singing the latest version. After the wrong anthem was played at the biathlon world championships in Hochfilzen, Austria, in 2017 the winning quartet took a microphone and sang the correct version. In 2015, Russian media reported the women’s U18 ice hockey did the same at their world championships in Buffalo.