Polish eagle to return to football team shirts

Nov 23, 2011, 10:07 GMT

Warsaw - The traditional Polish eagle will return to team uniforms after its removal sparked an outcry from fans, the nation's football association PZPN decided late Tuesday.

'I apologise to football fans,' said PZPN president Grzegorz Lato. 'To justify it, I'll say that only he who does nothing makes no mistakes.'

National team coach Franciszek Smuda called the move a 'good decision.'

Football fans were in an uproar two weeks ago when PZPN unveiled new national team uniforms without the white, crowned Polish eagle - a traditional symbol of patriotism.

'Where is the eagle! Where is the eagle!' fans chanted when the team made its first appearance in the new shirts in recent friendlies.

The affair came as Poland prepared to host the Euro 2012 football championships with co-hosts Ukraine.

The ruling Civic Platform party has said it would write a law that would require all athletes to wear a uniform bearing the eagle, while President Bronislaw Komorowski has said he did not understood the decision and expected an explanation.

Internet forums were full of angry comments and petitions circulated calling to return the eagle to the uniforms.