Monday, 14 October 2002

GEORGIA INVESTIGATES MATCH BLACKOUT

Published in News Digest

By empty (10/14/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Georgian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into an electricity blackout which caused the cancellation of a European Championship qualifier between Russia and Georgia on Saturday. The lights of Tbilisi's new Lokomotiv stadium first went out in the 40th minute, then came back on, but went out again during half time, with the score standing at 0-0. Georgian Interior Minister Koba Narchemashvili said the investigation would consider the possibility of sabotage.
The Georgian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into an electricity blackout which caused the cancellation of a European Championship qualifier between Russia and Georgia on Saturday. The lights of Tbilisi's new Lokomotiv stadium first went out in the 40th minute, then came back on, but went out again during half time, with the score standing at 0-0. Georgian Interior Minister Koba Narchemashvili said the investigation would consider the possibility of sabotage. Investigators want to find out why the emergency power generators didn't work. Police are also checking all electricity substations in the area of the stadium. According to the president of Georgia's Football Federation Merab Jordaniya, the cancellation will cost the hosts $300,000. The Georgia-Russia match took place against a fevered political backdrop, which has seen Russia threatening to send forces across the border into Georgia to tackle Chechen rebels it believes are sheltering in a mountain gorge. The Russian media on Monday expressed outrage at what newspapers said was violent behaviour by Georgian fans. Some newspapers accused Georgians of throwing stones and bottles at the Russian team's bus as it was leaving the stadium. There were also complaints about whistles from the Georgian fans drowning out the Russian national anthem. However the Kommersant newspaper said this was because the Russian team had turned its back to the cameras and the box where Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze was sitting. (BBC)
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The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst is a biweekly publication of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program, a Joint Transatlantic Research and Policy Center affiliated with the American Foreign Policy Council, Washington DC., and the Institute for Security and Development Policy, Stockholm. For 15 years, the Analyst has brought cutting edge analysis of the region geared toward a practitioner audience.

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