The Washington Post: For Albanians it is not just an eagle, it is something more magnificent
(8 years ago)When Switzerland faces Sweden on Tuesday, no player will celebrate by imitating the eagle. In a June 20th match, Swiss Albanian players celebrated goals through gestures that were contrary to FIFA rules, writes the American prestige The Washington Post. Why the eagle imitation? And why there was one [...]
Why the eagle imitation? And why was there a crash with FIFA, the World Cup organiser?
After marking two goals against Serbia, Granit Jaka and Gerdan Shaqiri two Kosovars with Albanian ethnicities, but playing for the Swiss national team, celebrated in imitation of the eagle's gestures, which is a symbol of Albanians. FIFA later convicted the two Swiss team players of this gesture of $10, $100 each.
But on the other hand, Serbian fans and players in the sports uniform had placed photos of Ratko Mladic, also known as the “Bosnian cassap”, who was sentenced for genocide by the international criminal tribunalum. In a separate trial, the World Cup organisation fined the Serbian football federation with $54,700 for “showing banners and discriminatory messages”.
According to “Washington Post”, Albania is a small country with over 3 million people who have existed as a political entity for more than 100 years. Over 500 years, they were occupied by the Ottomans, but the eagle has not been a symbol of violence or aggression. Perhaps for a minority, the eagle symbolizes radical nationalism or the large Albanian nation. In the 2014 dron incident, the eagle was placed in a technological instrument that included the map of Greater Albania, writes Periscope.
But for many Albanians, the eagle sums up their national flag and identity, and Albania is considered to be “area of eagles”. The American newspaper also mentions linguistic ties that explain that the eagle is a consistent symbol of discerning people dating back to the 11th century.
When Albanian hero Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeu fought against the Ottoman Lordship during the 15th century, he as a symbol of his identity used Albanian with two prides. The eagle, with two heads, serves to represent a diversity of the population as Muslim, Orthodox, and Catholic Christians.
For Albanians, the eagle is a historical symbol. Various political factions have repeatedly tried to give another form of the eagle's symbol. When Italy had invaded Albania during World War II, Benito Musolini's regime placed a crown on the eagle.
A few years later, 40 years under Enver Hoxha's communism regime, he placed a star on the eagle. Also, the Presidential American medium does not overlook Albanian immigration, which for years has taught European states, which such a case has affected precisely the two Albanian players representing Switzerland, Gerdan Shaqiri and Granit Jaka./Periscopi/