By Mark Baber
January 22 – The award of the FIFA Fair Play Award 2012 to Uzbekisan has been met with delight and a reason for national pride by the Uzbek President Islam Karimov and reminders of the Central Asian country’s lack of fair play in the political arena by media and human rights groups.
Uzbekistan won the award during the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on January 7, not long after having picked up the AFC Fair Play Award for 2012 in December.
AFC Acting President Jilong (pictured left) said in December:”The whole of Asia is proud of Uzbekistan and this award shows the commitment of AFC and its Member Associations to play the game in the spirit of Fair Play.
“I personally congratulate Mirabror Usmanov, the President of UFF, and all the stakeholders of football in this Central Asian country for their efforts in football development,” he added.
Chairman of the FIFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee and FIFA Vice-President HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein also congratulated Uzbekistan saying: “I am very proud that Asia has won this coveted award for the second year in a row following the Nadeshiko’s triumph last year.”
Uzbek state television reported that while chairing a cabinet meeting on January 18, President Karimov declared: “Taking into account that all of us are fond of football and the fact that FIFA has recognized Uzbek football, we can say that all our efforts are now producing good results. Therefore, I feel great to congratulate you on the success. So, will you join me, if I tell you that others should learn fairness from the Uzbek people?”
The Uzbek Human Rights Association’ stated that: “With its dismal human rights record, it’s not often that Uzbekistan is rewarded for its fair play.” Radio Free Europe took a similar tack pointing out that “from charges of torture in its prisons to boycotts over children working in its cotton fields, it’s not often that Uzbekistan is praised by an international organization these days.”
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