Did you know how Transcarpathia became world champion? And that Székelyföld is also among the best in this regard? One of the world's most heart-warming, yet little-known sports events begins, the football qualifier for the national teams of the stateless nations rejected by FIFA. Székelyföld is also in the competition, and we have reason to cheer for them - especially when we learn about the shocking fate of Transcarpathia's national team!
The activities of the football association CONIFA are certainly among the best-intentioned initiatives of international sports life. It is the Football Association of People Without the State. Which is the community of the self-organized football national teams of small nations, minorities, stateless peoples or even states not recognized by the world, whose application for membership was rejected by the high-ranking FIFA.
In the Football Association of Non-State Peoples, other national teams are also represented, such as Abkhazia, the island of Elba, the Raetia region of the Roman imperial alpine province; From Asia, the Tamils and Punjabis; from Africa to Biafra and Yoruba; From North America, Cascadia, coming from the foggy ocean coasts around Seattle and Vancouver; And from South America, the groups of Aymara and Mapuche Indians.
Embracing minorities
The virtues of CONIFA, which is otherwise barely known and receives little international publicity, could be discussed at length.
One: instead of the billion-dollar sports capitalism at its peak, it is about the game itself, its love and unifying power, without spectacular appearances, artificial shows and the global business influences that characterize professional world football.
Two: CONIFA's mission goes completely against the spirit of the times. Globalist slogans dumbed down to the point of wine, which are particularly characteristic of today's top sports, and football in particular, and instead of the woke agenda, here is the one with a history that many people want to sweep under the carpet, apart from exemplary exceptions.
it is about embracing national minorities that do not have access to autonomy and especially to sovereign statehood, through the noblest traditions and tools of sport.
Three: consequently, the CONIFA teams and championships are examples of the true diversity of humanity, human civilization and the richness of our common history. Soccer players come from communities of outsiders and those at the bottom, who can represent their own community and give them reason to be proud with their game and performance.
In a word: the Football Association of People Without the State, with the help of the original ethos of football, elevates the often oppressed, disenfranchised and difficult peoples of five continents, as well as the representatives of the beautiful local historical traditions of happier regions.
CONIFA was established exactly ten years ago, in 2013, its president from the beginning is the Swedish Per-Anders Blind, and one of its vice-presidents is the Hungarian Kristóf Wenczel.
The Calvary of Transcarpathia
It is no coincidence that the Hungarians living abroad, who are considered to be the most populous indigenous minority in Europe, were already present at CONIFA with several teams.
However, in the case of Transcarpathia, the disgusting reality of Ukrainian politics intervened.
As uplifting as CONIFA's activities are, the sadder is what happened to the Transcarpathia Hungarian national team that joined them a few years ago.
Hungarian-affiliated football players from the region belonging to Ukraine entered CONIFA in 2016 and were eventually included in the organization's 2018 World Cup. They played matches against the teams of Northern Cyprus, Abkhazia, Tibet, Cascadia, which represents the American-Canadian west coast, and their Hungarian compatriots, Székelyföld - Transcarpathia won the Hungarian-Hungarian rally 4-2.
What's more, Transcarpathia finally won the 2018 CONIFA World Championship!
However, the Ukrainian authorities reacted as rudely as possible to the completely harmless, but heart-warming and soul-lifting series of events - they imposed an extreme punishment on the football players.
Transcarpathian Hungarian football players with Ukrainian citizenship participating in the CONIFA games were banned forever from playing football in Ukraine; and members of the team with Hungarian citizenship were banned from the territory of Ukraine.
In parallel
Ukrainian Sports Minister Igor Zhdanov directly called the members of the Transcarpathian national team a "terrorist and separatist" group.
CONIFA, which is obviously not in the same weight group as Ukraine and its authorities expressed its shock in a statement, calling the Ukrainian decision "seriously disturbing" and "draconian in severity". It has been reported that CONIFA staff, players and managers are not aware of any Transcarpathian football players expressing separatist sentiments or ambitions, but the team has long and publicly represented the region's dual heritage, with the team's flag and logo displaying the colors of both countries and these they also wear it on their jerseys.
What has become of the Transcarpathian football players who have been brutally punished in recent years would perhaps deserve a separate report. It is an instructive and sad fact that the last post on their own Facebook page ends with a photo of the 2018 World Cup they won.
From now on, we can only wish them the best, whether they are on this side of the Ukrainian border or on the other side.
Székelyföld takes the field
CONIFA is now starting the qualifying rounds of its own separate entrance for the 2024 World Cup.
On Friday, the national team of Székelyföld will also play in the Csikszereda stadium.
The boys from Székely will first face Chameria, who represent the Albanian minority in Greece. Székelyföld will soon clash with the national team of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
will be available CONIFA's online TV channel Hungarians go for it!
Author: Gellért Rajcsányi / Mandiner
In the opening image: the match between the national teams of Székelyföld (in blue) and Subcarpathia at the 2018 CONIFA World Championship (photo: CONIFA)
