New Caledonian players attending the first Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan were featured in a political demonstration criticizing French rule in the territory. The event was promoted in a video released on Monday, October 26, by the Baku Initiative Group, an organization campaigning against what it describes as French colonialism.
The footage shows pro-independence Kanak flags attached to the fencing of the Hövsan sports complex on the outskirts of Baku. Supporters held signs reading “Kanaky is not France” as buses carrying the tournament teams passed by. The scene appeared carefully arranged, with only a small number of demonstrators present.
The New Caledonian players addressed by the demonstration were 14 or 15 years old and appeared focused on the sporting event rather than politics. Their presence in Azerbaijan resulted from FIFA’s decision to host the first Under-15 World Cup there, which concluded on Friday, October 30.
New Caledonia, like French Polynesia, has its own football federation and entered a separate team from France in the tournament. The use of the players’ image by the Baku Initiative Group placed the team within Azerbaijan’s wider political messaging on New Caledonia.
Sources: Le Monde Politique.