Kemal Karic - Scotland mascot for the match vs Italy, 17 Nov 2007

[MacMirza]

Kemal Karic(15) or simply Kemo, who lives in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), will be Scotland team mascot for the Euro 2008 qualifying match between Scotland and Italy, which will be played at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on Saturday 17 November 2007.

Kemo became an amputee as a three-months-old baby during the war, in a mortar shelling when his mother was killed. He was saved by Italian journalist Toni who took him out of the besieged city in the trunk of his car, and provided treatment for him in Italy. Kemal came back to Sarajevo six years later, after the war.

In November 2001, after a wee story about Kemo was put on Tartan Army Message Board, Internet forum of Scotland football fans, many people wanted to help him by raising money for new prosthetic limb and renovation of his house. In the end, there was 4,792 GBP raised for Kemo and this donation was presented by HE Ambassador Ian Cliff at the British Embassy in Sarajevo in August 2002.

Kemal became a symbol and inspiration for Tartan Army Sunshine Appeal that was formed shortly after Kemal Karic Appeal was closed. Many people wanted to see Kemal as Scotland mascot at Hampden but for a number of reasons that was not possible until now.

For more info, click on Kemo @ Tartan Army Sunshine Appeal.

Kemo was to come over for the previous Italy match (in 2005) but needed to go for an autotransplant operation so couldn't make it to Scotland. he was visited in Sarajevo by a couple of footsoldiers who brought him gifts from Scotland and started a short film about his connection with the Tartan Army.



It is hoped this can be now completed with filming of his trip to Scotland and his day amongst the Scotland Supporters as well as being a mascot. If all goes to plan this film will be available on a DVD to raise a bit more money for the TA Sunshine Appeal.

Thanks to some kind donations held back from that time, he will be here as a guest of T.A.S.A. and of course the SFA as mascot at the match against Italy.

Looking forward to see Kemo at Hampden on 17 November. Come on SCOTLAND!

[Celyn]

Thank you for letting us us know: that is really very enormously touching, MacMirza. It genuinely is. And I speak as one who has often taken the lazy prejudice that all football fans are only noisy men, messy, and of no use or sense. Um, sorry!

I am wrong, and I am learning that, and good luck and health to young Kemal! Heh, but does the lad know what he's getting into though? If Scotland lose - oh perish the thought, O heaven forfend! What if we hold him personally responsible?

Not that we will lose though.

[MacMirza]

Thanks Celyn.

Simply, Tartan Army are the best ambassadors for Scotland. No matter what some might think or say.

Come on SCOTLAND!