Steua Bucharest

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Steaua Bucharest

Steaua Bucharest stripped of name, colours and emblem after court ruling

• 1986 European champions left without identity
• Steaua have lost battle over trademark with defence ministry
• Romania champions referred to as ‘hosts’ on scoreboard
• But club handed Europa League reprieve for Thursday’s match

Steaua Bucharest, pictured in yellow in the Europa League against Aalborg, have been stripped of their name. Photograph: Henning Bagger/AFP/Getty Images

Reuters

Monday 8 December 2014 11.30 GMT

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The Romanian champions, Steaua Bucharest, were stripped of their name, colours and emblem last week and for Sunday’s victory over CSMS Iasi, but they have been handed a reprieve for Thursday’s Europa League match with Dynamo Kiev.

Romania’s most famous club, who were founded in 1947 as an army side, had their registration cancelled by Romania’s highest court on Wednesday after losing a battle over their trademark with the country’s defence ministry.

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The ministry had first resorted to law in 2011, saying the club had used the Steaua brand illegally since 2004. The court verdict effectively left the most popular and successful club in Romanian football as a team with no name.

The 1986 European champions, playing in yellow instead of their famous red and blue shirts, were presented on Sunday by the stadium’s announcer as “the champions of Romania”.

They appeared as “hosts” on the scoreboard and the club’s emblem was replaced by an empty square. Steaua was never mentioned.

The name effectively became invisible, removed from all training kits and officials’ suits. The two teams’ names were missing from the teamsheet, which were presented to reporters before Sunday’s clash.

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The situation could change, but only if Steaua officials reach an agreement with the defence ministry for the use of the trademark, and indeed, it has allowed the club to use the name, colours and emblem in the Europa League this week.

Steaua’s flamboyant owner, Gigi Becali, and the club’s general manager, Mihai Stoica, are currently serving prison terms for abuse of power.

On the field, the Poland centre back Lukasz Szukala scored the winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time with both teams reduced to 10 men after CSMS Iasi’s Branko Grahovac and Steaua’s Andrei Prepelita were sent off in the closing stages.

Steaua, who have won their last five league matches without conceding a goal, top the standings with 43 points from 17 matches, followed by CFR Cluj on 33.


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/dec/08/steaua-bucharest-romania-lose-name-colours-emblem-court-ruling-defence-ministry?CMP=twt_gu