National Anthem jeering will result in cancellation

Last month, Tunisia supporters visiting the Stade de France controversially booed the French national anthem prior to a friendly. This enraged French Prez Nicolas Sarkozy, who decreed that French football games should be cancelled if anyone jeers the pre-match national anthem. Sports minister Roselyne Bachelot confirmed the threat, saying: “Any match at which our national anthem is whistled at will be immediately stopped.” No one cared to explained to her that a match that has yet to start cannot be “immediately stopped”.

For the first time since the deplorable event, France will return to the Paris stadium tonight to face Uruguay. Unlike the Tunisians, the South Americans will have little political cause to boo France’s national anthem La Marseillaise, yet Paddy Power are offering 33/1 on the match being cancelled on account of naughty crowd behaviour.

If the visiting fans fancy travelling thousands of miles to see a game called off, they know exactly what to do.

Latvia? Latveria? Lithuania? Whatever.

If you thought the God-awful yelping delivered by Destiny’s Child Kelly Rowland to patriotic Americans last night was insulting, then consider the treatment given by the Czech Republic to their opponents on Tuesday.

When they arrived at the Stadion Eden, the visitors were treated to a proud display of Latvian flags, and a triumphant version of the Latvian national anthem ‘Dievs, svētī Latviju!’ (‘God bless Latvia!’). The welcome would have been enough to bring tears to the eyes of the nation’s most famous resident, medical professional Dr Doom.

All was fine and dandy, except for the fact that the Latvian squad were sitting at home in their tiny Baltic nation