LONDON (AP) — Chelsea women's manager Emma Hayes says she will rely on her son's advice to avoid more touchline confrontations.
Hayes, the incoming coach of the U.S. women’s national team, was asked Friday about the incident from nearly two weeks ago when she appeared to push Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall after a game and later complained about “male aggression."
That confrontation took place after Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Women’s English League Cup final.
Along with quoting a Robert Frost poem at a press conference, Hayes indicated she would avoid similar incidents in the future.
“Of course it’s not right to meet aggression with aggression. I can only control my own behaviors. I’ve reflected on that,” she said.
“Next time I just need to listen to my son’s advice. I need to go to the teacher if I’ve got anything to say.”
After that March 31 match, Hayes appeared to push Eidevall and say something to him as he went to shake her hand after the final whistle. When questioned later, the Chelsea coach said “I’m not down for male aggression on the touchline.”
Earlier Friday, Eidevall called Hayes' post-match comments “irresponsible.”
Hayes in her session on Friday quoted from Frost's poem entitled “Choose Something Like a Star.”
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FILE - Chelsea's coach Emma Hayes directs her team during the UEFA Women's Champions League final soccer match between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 16, 2021. Chelsea women’s manager Emma Hayes says she will rely on her son’s advice to avoid more touchline confrontations. Hayes was asked Friday about the incident from nearly two weeks ago when she appeared to push Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall after a game and later complained about “male aggression.” (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
GENEVA (AP) — Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest said Thursday they reserve the right to remove any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols at the show next week in Sweden.
The announcement came amid heightened tensions surrounding Israel’s participation in the annual music competition over its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, now in its seventh month. Pro-Palestinian groups are expected to stage large protests in Malmo to raise awareness of their cause.
Michelle Roverelli, the head of communications for the European Broadcasting Union that runs the show each year, said ticket buyers are only allowed to bring and display flags that represent countries that take part in the event, as well as the rainbow-colored flag.
The Geneva-based EBU reserves the right “to remove any other flags or symbols, clothing, items and banners being used for the likely purpose of instrumentalizing the TV shows,” she told The Associated Press in a text message.
Swedish news agency TT reported that the anyone who tries to bring a Palestinian flag or a sign with a political message will be stopped at the entrance by guards.
Martin Österdahl, the contest's Executive Supervisor told TT that “these rules are the same as last year. There is no change.”
National flags are a common sight during the contest as fans cheer on their country’s acts and those they support.
The glitzy gala, which draws hundreds of millions of viewers each year, is hosting the event from May 7-11 in Malmo in southern Sweden, following last year's victory by Loreen for its performance of “Tattoo” last year.
Winners earn the right for their country to host the following year's event: Sweden is set to host for a record-equalling 7th time.
Swedish police have warned that security will be tight, citing a threat of terrorism in the wealthy Nordic country.
Pro-Palestinian activists who want Israel — a former winner — out of the Eurovision Song Contest have announced large rallies in downtown Malmo, several kilometers (miles) from the Malmo Arena contest venue.
Last month Swedish police said they had received an application for a demonstration in Malmo to burn a copy of the Quran before the contest. Sweden raised its terror threat level last year following a series of burnings of the Quran that triggered protests in the Muslim world.
In recent weeks, spillover reaction around the world to the nearly 7-month war between Israel and Hamas has fanned large protests on U.S. university campuses and beyond.
Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.
FILE - The completed Eurovision stage at Malmo Arena is shown at a press conference in Malmo, Sweden, on April 25, 2024. Organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest say they’re willing to remove any Palestinian flags and pro-Palestinian symbols at the event next week in Sweden. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP, File)
