More than 5000 protest against the ban on "Anji" to play UEFA Europa League matches in Dagestan

Today, in Makhachkala, the "Dynamo" Stadium has hosted a rally in support of the local "Anji" Football Club (FC), which was banned by the UEFA to hold Europa League in Dagestan for security reason. The protesters adopted a resolution calling the UEFA to set up and send a commission of independent experts to Makhachkala to make an objective decision.

On June 30, the UEFA Executive Committee decided that the "Anji" FC would not be able to play its home matches of the 2012/2013 UEFA Europa League season in the territory of Dagestan because of the problems related to security. On July 3, the managers of the FC sent an official letter to the UEFA President Michel Platini asking to allow matches in Makhachkala. The UEFA bosses rejected the appeal. In response, the fans of the club announced preparation of a protest rally.

According to the organizers, the today's rally in Makhachkala was attended by over 5000 people. A number of pop stars of Dagestan who staged a small concert right in the football pitch came to support "Anji" fans. The protesters held numerous banners, among them: "How can you say no to the dream, to which you went for decades?" and "Dagestan needs Europa League!"

"The rally brought together plenty of people, especially children. This is evidence that everybody – old and young – wants to see the Europa League at home. We must force Michel Platini and UEFA commission come and get sure that we can hold matches quite safely," Budun Budunov, the head of the Dagestani Football Union and the former captain of "Anji", said at the rally.

According to Khabib Allakhverdiev, the world boxing champion, he was very sorry that Dagestan had been deprived of such holiday. "Thanks to 'Anji', plenty of children went in for playing football. People should not be deprived of the holiday. And I'm sure that UEFA will change its decision," said Allakhverdiev.