By DASHNOR KALOÇI
Part Three
Memorie.al / Throughout the history of Albanian football championships, republic cups and other activities in this type of sport developed before the 1990s, naturally there have also been recorded various incidents and events among athletes, fan groups and law enforcement forces, just as has happened and happens everywhere in this type of sport, one of the most popular in the world. But two of the gravest events that alarmed the Central Committee of the PLA and the Albanian government of that time are thought to be those that occurred in 1987 and 1988, in the city of Puka in the match between the local “Tërbuni” and “Industriali” of Laçi, for the national championship of the third category, and the one in the city of “Stalin,” in the match between the local team “Naftëtari” and “Dinamo” of the capital, valid for the first category championship (today the superior category), which among other things became the object of analyses and meetings not only in the respective cities, but up to the Politburo of the Central Committee of the PLA.
For both these extraordinary events that have left their mark on Albanian sport, after the 1990s several writings have been made in which former footballers, coaches, referees, high local officials and other figures connected with sport or not have given their testimonies, who have given their versions regarding the events in question, but archival documents have never been made public, as to how they were treated by the high leadership of the PLA, which athletes and fans were punished (even with prison) or which high local officials were dismissed from the high party and state duties they held. Based on this, in this writing we are publishing some archival documents and photos from these matches, which have been extracted from the Central State Archive and are published for the first time together with the respective facsimiles. Memorie.al
Continued from the previous issue
INFORMATION OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE UNION OF PHYSICAL CULTURISTS AND SPORTSMEN OF ALBANIA, MEHDI BUSHATI, SENT TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PLA, CONCERNING THE TWO EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE DISTRICT OF PUKA AND MEMALIAJ
PEOPLE’S SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE BFSSH
Tirana, 20.4.1987
No. 301 Prot.
Subject: Information on the foreign [unsporting] displays in Puka and Memaliaj
TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PLA
Sector of Education and Culture
T I R A N A
Attached we are sending you the information on the foreign [unsporting] displays that have occurred in football in the district of Puka and the city of Memaliaj.
C H A I R M A N
Mehdi Bushati
REPORT-INFORMATION OF THE SECRETARY OF THE PARTY COMMITTEE OF THE DISTRICT OF PUKA, SHERIF BYTYÇI, SENT TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PLA, ON THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE CITY OF PUKA, DURING AND AFTER THE MATCH “TËRBUNI” – “INDUSTRIALI”
PARTY OF LABOUR OF ALBANIA
DISTRICT PARTY COMMITTEE
No…..Prot. Puka, 21.4.1987
Subject: Notification on some foreign antisporting displays in the city of Puka, during the match between the team of “Tërbuni” of Puka and “Industriali” of Laçi.
TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE P.L. OF ALBANIA
Sector of Education
T I R A N A
On 19.4.1987, within the framework of the third category matches, “Tërbuni” of Puka and “Industriali” of Laçi played. We emphasize that to watch this match a large number of sports lovers had come from the city of Laçi, among them also “sick” fans, with available cars, even with taxis.
A special meeting was held with the “Tërbuni” team to apply all the rules, since some fans and footballers of the Laçi team had even offered money to the players of “Tërbuni” to lose the match, since their promotion to the second category depended on this match.
The match began normally according to all the rules. After the scoring of the first goal by “Tërbuni” there were antisporting gestures among the players, where three players were even sent off the field for heavy play, being punished with a red card, two from “Tërbuni” and one from “Industriali.”
At the end of the match one of the footballers of Laçi made an antisporting gesture, unworthy behavior in society, by lowering his shorts before the public. Also the fans who had come from Laçi threw onto the field a training grenade of the “Fik” type.
They made this action also in the city square. Besides these, the movements of some youths through the city were unseemly and contradicted the norms of our socialist morality.
We clarify that as escorts of the Laçi team there were also 5 police officers from this city. Nevertheless these not only did not present themselves to the relevant organ of our district, but made no intervention to stabilize the situation.
The employees of the Internal Branch of the city of Puka, for unworthy behavior, isolated a footballer of Laçi, as well as a youth from Laçi who threw the smoking training grenade, while another, although pursued by the competent organs, left the city. The investigative process continues against those isolated.
Regarding these problems, the situation in the “Tërbuni” team was analyzed and the District Committee of Physical Culture, based on the proposal of the team itself, took measures by excluding from sports activities one player for one year and another for the 1986-1987 seasons.
These measures were taken for the red cards given during the game, for heavy play against the opponent.
Our opinion is that, without excluding the faults and weaknesses of our work, the main responsibility is borne by the footballers and fans of Laçi who also committed acts of hooliganism on the field and in the city of Puka. It should be noted that healthy opinion has condemned these displays and from our city no one has reacted negatively on this matter.
The Party Committee of the district of Kruja and, through their line, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Albanian Football Federation has also been notified of these problems.
SECRETARY OF THE DISTRICT PARTY COMMITTEE
Sherif Bytyçi
REPORT – INFORMATION OF THE SECRETARY OF THE PARTY COMMITTEE OF THE DISTRICT OF KRUJA, PARIME HAKO, SENT TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PLA, ON THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE CITY OF PUKA, DURING AND AFTER THE MATCH “TËRBUNI” – “INDUSTRIALI”
PARTY OF LABOUR OF ALBANIA
DISTRICT PARTY COMMITTEE Ek.3. No.1
Kruja, 5.5.1987
TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE P L A
Group of Instructors
T I R A N A
INFORMATION
ON SOME MEASURES WE HAVE TAKEN AGAINST SOME UNSEEMLY ACTIONS OF THE ATHLETES OF “INDUSTRIALI” OF LAÇI AND SOME LAÇI SPORTS LOVERS.
The unseemly and antisporting displays of some footballers of “Industriali” of Laçi and of some sick fans of this city that occurred last Sunday have worried the organs of the Party and of the power also because of the fact that they are repeated in these last 2-3 years.
On our part this year the necessary measures have been taken for the education and conduct of people also in this field and this has been shown in the fact that in all the matches organized in the city of Laçi there has been no disturbance, but nevertheless the improper behaviors of the last match show shortcomings also in the work of the Party and of the levers in this direction.
The District Party Committee, after becoming acquainted with the notification sent by the Party Committee of Puka, stopped at the “Industriali” team, analyzed the problem and took some necessary measures:
From this team the player Nikollë Ndoka was permanently excluded for unworthy behavior in society, we permanently removed the team’s coach for poor moral conduct and for poor direction of the team, and also took some other educational measures for some players.
Alongside these measures, a few days ago we gathered the secretaries of the bureaus and of the base organizations of the Party of some enterprises and in particular of the Chemical-Metallurgical Combine, the NNI, the Goods Park, and gave them instructions for the work they must do with sports lovers or with any sick fan.
Such meetings these days have also been organized with the youth organizations in enterprises and schools for these problems and especially in some neighborhoods of the city with the front organizations.
The latest displays by some athletes and fans, even outside the match, raise the demand for a more qualified and continuous work with the organs of the Party and of the mass organizations, in the future, but also for some coercive measure.
The improper behaviors in the city of Puka were condemned by the healthy opinion of our district and they have become the object of conversation in every collective, they will be sharply criticized also in the local press.
For this problem we thought to inform you.
SECRETARY OF THE PARTY COMMITTEE
PARIME HAKO
REPORT – INFORMATION OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE UNION OF PHYSICAL CULTURISTS AND SPORTSMEN OF ALBANIA, MEHDI BUSHATI, SENT TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE PLA, CONCERNING THE TWO EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN THE DISTRICT OF PUKA AND MEMALIAJ
I N F O R M A T I O N
ON THE FOREIGN [UNSPORTING] DISPLAYS IN PUKA AND MEMALIAJ
On 19 April 1987, the third category match between “Tërbuni” of Puka and “Industriali” of Laçi was held in Puka, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
According to the information made by the Chairman of the Committee of Physical Culture of the district of Puka, it results that:
A large number of fans from Laçi had come to Puka, who created incidents during and after the match. The game was played very harshly and the match referee sent off three players with a red card, of which 2 from Puka and 1 from Laçi.
After the end of the game, a smoking training flare was thrown onto the field by the fans of Laçi, and a footballer of this team publicly offended the sports-loving masses.
The police organs have caught a fan of Laçi as well as the footballer in question and have kept them in a state of arrest.
After the match in the city streets again fans of Laçi threw another smoking flare. The person who threw the flare was not caught. After this person has been identified, the police organs of the district of Kruja have been notified to stop him.
On 15 April 1987, in Memaliaj, the third category match between “Memaliaj” and “Bistrica” of Delvina was held, which ended in a 1-1 draw. According to the confrontation as well as the verification that was made on the spot by the Albanian Football Federation, it results that:
During the match there were foreign [unsporting] displays. Stones and other objects were continuously thrown and the referees and some footballers of Delvina were hit.
In these circumstances the referee wanted to suspend the match, but threatened by fans of Memaliaj as well as 200-300 fans of Selenica who had come to follow the match (Selenica rivals Delvina in the third category championship), he was forced to finish the match in those conditions.
After the match in the streets of the city of Memaliaj, the car of Delvina was hit with stones and two windows were broken. The competent organs have caught a fan of Memaliaj who made the above damages and have stopped him. Regarding the above, a record has also been kept in the police organs of the district.
On the proposal of the disciplinary commission the Albanian Football Federation decided:
The matches to be awarded 2-0 to the teams of Puka and Delvina.
The field of Memaliaj to be suspended until the end of the 1986-1987 seasons.
The teams of Laçi and Memaliaj, since they are repeat offenders of foreign [unsporting] displays, are warned to be permanently excluded from the third category.
While for the footballers special punitive measures have been taken up to exclusion from football. / Memorie.al
C H A I R M A N
Mehdi Bushati
