CONIFA WORLD FOOTBALL CUP QUALIFIER - Kernow FA v Chagos Islands

CONIFA WORLD FOOTBALL CUP QUALIFIER - Bodmin Priory Park - Sunday 25th August, 2019

Kernow FA v Chagos Islands

A win in this international game for our national football team, Kernow FA! Keslowena Kernow! (Congratulations Cornwall!)

With the final score 10-3 to Kernow, this international match saw a commanding performance by the Cornish lads.

That said, both sides played a gentlemanly, fair and energetic game, lacking in any of the amateur dramatics seen when many other teams play.

The Chagos Islanders played their hearts out and were well received by the Cornish crowd, who applauded both sides in equal measure.

The supporters witnessed a well played game of football with only the lightest of supervisory touches needed by the referee and the experience and knowledge of the players and their managers clearly shone through.

Before the match, which was in near perfect conditions, a press conference which welcomed the teams in both the  English and Cornish languages, revealed the appalling treatment meted out by the Westminster Government toward the Chagos Islanders. More information here: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/22/asia/uk-chagos-islands-un-intl/index.html

It was inspirational to see the warm welcome given to the Chagos team and its supporters and to hear of their heartbreaking experiences at the hands of the British Government, which has been successfully legally challenged in both the United Nations and the International Court of Justice. Sadly, the Westminster Government has chosen to ignore international law.

The Chagos Islands anthem was sung before the match and Cornish singing group 'Press Gang' sang the Kernow FA anthem, a rousing 'Cornwall My Home' written by Harry Glason.

KMTU (Kernow Matters To Us) praises without hesitation the moral high ground taken by our very own international Kernow FA and condemns the Westminster Government for their actions which have disrupted the lives of a peaceful nation and people. It is sad to see that imperialistic tendencies are still held in Westminster.

We greet the people of the Chagos Islands with open arms and solidarity.

We congratulate the Kernow FA players with their fast moving skills and the honourable sportsmanship of the Chagos Islanders.

A magnificent example set by both teams with not a sign of ill will or unpleasantness.

We thank the management of Kernow FA for their commitment and leadership in bringing an international Cornish team into being! We are proud of our football players!

We also thank CONIFA for recognising Cornwall as a Nation following the lead of many other organisations, which opens up international football to players here in our Duchy.

CONIFA - the Confederation of Indepedent Football Associations - is the football federation for all associations outside of FIFA.

Kernow ha'n Enesow Chagos bys vyken! (Cornwall and the Chagos Islands forever!)