Leaders of the opposition are placing an incredible pressure on national football team players, making attacks and issuing insults, writes Levan Kobiashvili, the President of the Georgian Football Federation [GFF], on his Facebook page.

The President of GFF was commenting on the ongoing public protests against the Bill on Transparency.

“An incredible scale of pressure, attacks and insults is being carried out on our boys, the people who, in just a few weeks, will carry the flag of Georgia to the middle of Europe, in Germany, and represent our country for the first time in history.

Even today, in various social networks and media, we see unheard-of attacks and insults carried out by specific mean opposition leaders towards the Georgian football team and players. Those who are really not interested in football or the victory of Georgia are especially active and fully manage these processes.

I have never sought to involve football players in political processes. The national football team players represent Georgia, and insulting them is an insult to our country and citizens.

I want to call on everyone to respect all players. Stop insulting them. Believe me, as a professional football player, I know that mental preparation for such important matches is just as important as physical preparation. Let the boys concentrate on their work”, - wrote Levan Kobiashvili.