‘La la la la, Vladimir Putin’: Fenerbahce fans in trouble after chants against Dynamo Kyiv players

The Russia-Ukraine war has stretched well beyond the battlefield and into the realm of popular culture. The Zelensky’s Vogue photoshoot was a cringe-inducing reminder of its machinations. But before Ukraine’s First Lad and Lady decided to pose for the cameras, they already held sway over the football world. The allegedly ‘apolitical’ footballverse was suddenly awash with Ukrainian flags and messages calling for peace in Ukrainian. While these sentiments are undeniable, it reeks of hypocrisy when similar shows of support for the Palestinian cause are deemed inappropriate by UEFA.

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It’s unsurprising then that Fenerbahce fans are under UEFA’s microscope for chanting Vladimir Putin’s name during their match against Dynamo Kyiv. The chants occurred when Dynamo’s Vitaliy Buyalskyi made an eagle gesture with his hands after giving the Ukrainians the lead. The eagle sign- the symbol of Fenerbahce’s arch-rivals Besiktas- triggered Fener’s fans enough to toss Putin’s name at the midfielder. While crass to the core, the only grounds for UEFA to open investigations- which they have done- into the club’s fans is by invoking the ‘apolitical’ card, which they’ve overlooked throughout the war.

While UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary committee look to investigate the ‘alleged misbehaviour of Fenerbahce supporters’, one wonders if similar accusations would fly against fans hurling Zelensky’s name or curses at Putin against Russian opposition. The argument does not absolve Putin or Russia of their ills during the war, but the liberal consensus allows only for selective outrage. The eight years of untethered Ukrainian violence unleashed on Donbass before the Russian offensive has vanished from the Western conscience. Correct me if I am wrong, but similar anti-war posturing was absent from 2014-2022.

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In any case, Dynamo Kyiv had the last laugh, knocking the Turkish side out of Champions League contention. In the second round of qualification- played over two legs- the Blue and Whites prevailed 2-1. After a goalless first leg, the two sides were level after 180 minutes. But Oleksandr Karavayev’s goal, deep into extra-time, was the difference between the two sides. In the third and final qualification round, Dynamo goes head-to-head against Austria’s SK Sturm Graz.