Wales players instructed not to celebrate with their children on the pitch at final whistle
'It is a European Championship not a family party,' say Euro 2016 bigwigs amid fears over stadium safety measures
EURO 2016 bigwigs have told Wales it is not safe for players’ children to join in celebrations at the final whistle.
The sight of victorious Welshmen playing with their kids along their unlikely journey to Wednesday’s semi-final showdown with Portugal has been a heartwarming and uplifting feature of the competition.
But UEFA’s tournament director Martin Kallen says: “It is a European Championship not a family party.”
And he added that ‘a stadium is not the most safe place for small kids’ if fans invaded the field, and with stadium staff operating machinery on the playing surface.
After last week’s momentus victory over Belgium, Wales skipper Ashley Williams was seen with his two children in his arms, while defender Neil Taylor and goalscoring hero Hal Robson-Kanu also shepherded their families on the pitch.
Gareth Bale had previously hugged his daughter, Alba, on the field after the win over Northern Ireland.
Said Wales president David Griffiths: “UEFA are frowning on it unfortunately because it’s encroachment on the pitch. But the team is run like a family and the boys have been together for so long.”
And it seems the players are still likely to be dancing and kicking the ball around with their kids after the semi-final in Lyon. Win or lose.
Amazingly, the Welsh are one game away from a final against Germany or hosts France in their first major tournament since they made the World Cup in 1958.
The unexpected progress is even jeopardizing midfielder Joe Ledley’s wedding, which was scheduled for this weekend.
“He’s obviously booked it a long time ago, before qualifying,” said Bale. “These things happen.”
Even after qualifying for Euro 2016, few would have expected Wales to be the British team in the final four. England beat Wales in the group stage but was embarrassed in the round of 16 by Iceland.
Griffiths has received messages of congratulations from Northern Ireland, which Wales beat to reach the quarter-finals, and Scotland, which failed to qualify for Euro 2016.
But nothing from England. “I’ve heard nothing from Greg Dyke,” Griffiths said of the FA chairman.
