FIFA Bringing On The Political Storm With The World Cup 2014 World Cup: An Iranian Soccer Player Cannot Sing The National Anthem In The First Game Of The Championships
The tournament is a test case of the zeal of Western institutions – sporting teams and leagues, cultural institutions and businesses – to grab a share of the gusher of cash coming from the Middle East despite the possible threat to their values.
So far, the tournament has been consumed by more controversies off the field than have been caused by the erratic VAR video review system that can send fans into fury.
It turned into a diplomatic spat when the US Secretary of State criticized a ban on players wearing OneLove.
The world’s ability to come together is one of the greatest things about soccer, according to Tony Blinken, a US Secretary of State.
“It’s always concerning from my perspective when we see any restrictions on freedom of expression. It’s especially so when the expression is for diversity and for inclusion. And in my judgment, at least, no one on the football pitch should be forced to choose between supporting these values and playing for their team,” Blinken said.
Briana Scurry, a retired World Cup winning goalie for the US women’s national team, told CNN’s “Newsroom” Tuesday that FIFA had brought on this political storm with its choice of venue for the World Cup.
The Iranian players will not sing the national anthem at their opening game against England on Monday in a possible protest of the suppression of dissent in the Islamic Republic.
World Cups, Sports Washing and the Avatars of the FIFA One Love Campaign: An Account of World Cup Misdemeanours at the Beijing Olympics
Football is not the only sport changing because of this global power shift. Hundreds of millions of viewers in India for the fast and furious IPL cricket league have shifted the balance of power in the sport from England and Australia. Formula One, which has its own international footprint, now sends 200 mph racers onto multiple Middle East circuits. The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia is trying to break the dominance of the PGA tour in the US by acquiring golf stars with large pay incentives.
The phenomenon is known as “sports washing” in which an authoritarian nation seeking to buff up their image, despite serious criticism over their political system and human rights performance, woos the world’s top sporting stars. The Beijing Olympics were accused of having a political agenda, but attempts at activism barely came to a stop under the authoritarian rule of China.
For all the incredible action on the pitch, including arguably the greatest World Cup final in history, tournament organizers could not escape accusations that the workers who helped build the stadiums were subjected to awful conditions, which contributed to the deaths of migrant workers.
The cultural and religious clash taking place at the World Cup show the differences between developed and developing nations and include many migrant communities.
England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Wales had planned to join the “OneLove” campaign. Their governing associations accused FIFA of threatening to send players off from a match if they picked up a second yellow card for a foul in a match.
The World has Changed: Soccer’s World Cup 2016 Sentiment on Irregular Players and the Discrimination against Black Men in the United States
I feel like I’m in a foreign land. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. I feel gay today. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker,” Infantino said.
Lesbians are not allowed in this country, and claims that it is behind the ban are baseless. “Everything that happens on the pitch is a FIFA matter,” a spokesperson for Qatari organizers, Fatma Al Nuaimi, told CNN’s Becky Anderson.
England took a knee in a stand against racism before the game as a show of defiance, despite the fact that Harry Kane, who didn’t wear an captain’s shirt, didn’t wear an arm band.
Modern athletes seem willing to challenge the governing officials of their sports. For example, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who refused to stand for the National Anthem in the 2016 season to protest police brutality against Black men, ignited a global sporting and political movement. The protest angered some NFL owners who don’t like the way players behave. And the fact that Kaepernick is long gone from the league cast doubt on the sincerity of the sport’s anti-racism campaigns. A conflict between Black players and some of the team’s conservative fans was caused by Donald Trump dragging the situation into his culture warfare.
The current feud in golf is a result of the sense that athletes may be held to higher moral standards than their government is. Critics have slammed top pros for taking cash from Saudi Arabia, whose nationals made up 15 of the 19 hijackers on September 11, 2001. But the kingdom is a beneficiary of huge US arms sales and President Joe Biden went there this year to seek more oil production to alleviate high gasoline prices.
The world has changed in another way and the tournament will show that. Soccer, despite the 1994 US-hosted World Cup, has struggled to make the cultural leap to become a dominant US pro sport, despite high youth participation. But the tournament will highlight the hold it has on US immigrant and diaspora communities, an increasingly important political demographic in the country.
The South American side was expected to cruise to victory over the team ranked 48th in the world, and fans had come in droves to watch Messi show off his skills.
But the Argentine captain was overshadowed by arguably the biggest upset in World Cup history and, as Saudi Arabia celebrated its win, Messi trudged down the tunnel with a face of thunder.
As many of his teammates stormed past reporters on the way to the team bus, Messi was one of two players to speak to the media – the other being goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
What is the best way to make money in soccer? The real problem is that people don’t understand how a game becomes a public holiday
Spain won the 2010 World Cup after it lost to Switzerland in the opening match of the tournament.
Argentina will most likely qualify for the knockout rounds if it wins its next two games against Poland and Mexico, but the defeat was felt very hard at home.
Thousands in blue and white shirts sang Messi’s name as they made their way to the game and continued to celebrate their hero as he graced Qatar 2022 with a penalty in the opening 10 minutes.
The Argentine players still looked for Messi almost every time they got the ball. Messi would often point to where he wants the ball to travel if he did not demand the ball himself.
CNN heard fans joking with fans and volunteers that they had seen Argentina captain Lionel Messi after he went missing.
The jubilant fans left the stadium and took the Metro back to downtown, where they continued to sing until their voices started to break.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud subsequently ordered a national public holiday for Wednesday as the world came to terms with such an unexpected result.
There is sometimes a flurry of authenticity at the edges, like pitch invaders and rainbow bucket hats, that are puncturing the carefully controlled bubble that has been created in the bizarre, clinical land that football’s governing body, U.S. Soccer, has conjured in their bizarre, clinical Pasteurization happens when sporting calls are made, including decisions by video assistant referees (VARs), and the players are turned into mannequins.
This is caused by the fact that sports become more of a way for advertisers to convert eyeballs into ad impressions. You might think your favorite sport is about fine margins, the smell of grass and soil and sweat. But no. Engagement metrics, ad inventory, tractor partnerships and personal sponsorship deals are included.
The problem with this—one that everyone but Elon Musk can grasp—is that sponsors and advertisers do not like controversy. They don’t like controversy. FIFA will still make a record $7.5 billion from this World Cup cycle, despite a decade of protests against the host country. On an individual level, though, athletes and their representatives quickly learn that the best way to make money in sports is to be good on the court and keep your mouth shut: Be Roger Federer, not Nick Kyrgios.
You can see this process happening in real time. As athletes grow into brands of their own, they become more manufactured. The more valuable their time becomes, the less reason they have to speak to journalists at all. The rare interviews they do grant become a sort of void—mouth moving, head nodding, nothing of interest emerging—and anything of even slight interest gets seized on and turned into a headline, making it even less likely they’ll open up next time around. Individual stories make sports compelling. Fans switch off if they don’t have them. To inject some personality into athletes, without the risk of saying something harmful to their reputation, their sponsors, or anyone else is what is required. The result? The behind-the-scenes’ sporting documentary—like Qatar manufacturing atmosphere by hiring in fans, your ailing sport can manufacture some palatable drama by bringing in a production crew.
The premier example is Drive to Survive, a popular Netflix series about Formula 1 racing, which has been credited with reviving interest in a sport that had been flagging for years—and even doing the apparently impossible and making it appeal to an American audience. There’s also the Amazon Prime format All or Nothing, which has taken cameras into the dressing rooms at Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal, as well as a host of NFL teams.
What Morocco is trying to prove in the semifinals of World Cup ‘1999-2003 in Souq Waqif, Morocco
The last World Cup was held in Russia, for example, a country that has made it illegal for anyone to promote same-sex relationships or suggest that non-heterosexual orientations are “normal.”
Over the last four weeks, this tiny Gulf State became a global village. Fans of all 32 teams, along with supporters from many other countries, mingled cheek by jowl in a way that was never possible in previous tournaments, which were spread across much larger geographical areas.
It was not easy to tell who was cheering for whom in the marketplace of Souq Waqif where fans would drink from bottles while following drummers.
The atmosphere in Qatar is similar to a wedding in a Middle Eastern country, according to one supporter. “When everyone is enjoying the music and singing, it’s like a big party.”
The semifinals was the first time that a team from outside Europe and South America had made it to the final week of the tournament, which dates back to 1916.
But even before the Atlas Lions’ stirring win against Portugal, it was already Africa’s most successful World Cup, as it was for Asia, too, which saw three teams – Japan, South Korea, and Australia – make it to the round of 16 for the first time ever. In 2005, world governing body FIFA ratified Australia’s switch from the Oceania Football Confederation to the Asian Football Confederation.
Despite protests and violence in Iran, the country excelled against Wales and the US in their first match, while Saudi Arabia scored a result for the ages with a victory over Argentina.
“You may be an underdog,” he said, “but if you do your work, you can achieve big, big things. That is theMorocco head coach. Walid Regragui is trying to prove. And that’s what Morocco is trying to prove.”
It’s not unusual to see African fans rooting for other teams from their continent, but it has been particularly striking to witness the shared joy in Qatar, where CNN spoke to fans from Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian territories, all cheering for Morocco in the later stages.
You will not find English people cheering for their team if France is playing. And I don’t know why,” explained Moroccan fan Adam Marzoug.
He continued: “That’s why it’s special for the Arab and Muslim and African countries. This is just the beginning, and that makes us strong in every tournament.
Muslims, Arabs, and Africans are like brothers and sisters despite the current political and historical issues, said his friend.
It seemed poetic that Morocco went toe to toe with France and conquered two of their former colonizers, Spain and Portugal. Any score was settled quietly with respect.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/20/football/qatar-world-cup-review-spt-int/index.html
Qatar World Cup Review (Spt-Int): A sea of humanity followed by a tribute to David Hamriri
And although there was surprise, even an outcry in some media establishments, when Budweiser vending stations were removed from the stadium concourses on the eve of the tournament, did anyone really miss the alcohol?
The atmosphere of the crowd was much more congenial as a result of talking to many people, like the former player turned commentator Ally McCoist.
We observed security personnel respectfully asking shirtless fans from Argentina to cover their torsos, and then gestured with their palms closed. Local customs and cultures were followed. The sea of humanity that flowed from every stadium to Metro station passed by a series of musicians and dancers.
David Hamriri, an engineer who works in Europe, said that they must be open minded. I’m rich because I’m open minded.
“We have emotions,” he continued, “We have many conflicts in the world. But when we enjoy football, we forget about it. We forget the economic crisis, and we return to the origin. A value of humanity, shared between Occidental and Oriental society. I find it amazing.”
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/20/football/qatar-world-cup-review-spt-int/index.html
An England fan’s experience at the 2026 World Cup: What have we learned in the last 12 months? A look at the stories of Josh Cavallo
People thought that the tournament wouldn’t happen in the desert, but they proved them wrong, according to Theo Ogden, an England fan.
The people have been so welcoming. You won’t find a fan out here who will say that they had a bad time, and it’s because they are so hospitable. I don’t think it’s talked about enough.
The landmass of the 2026 World Cup will be almost 2,000 times bigger in the USA, Mexico and Canada. The game was made into something much smaller and it was all good.
LGBTQ rights was an issue that would not go away during the tournament as reports also emerged of security officials asking people to remove rainbow-colored items of clothing – a symbol of LGBTQ pride.
The four weeks of football were enjoyable but for a few it came at a price and they must not forget that.
From a World Cup like no other in Qatar to Ukrainian athletes returning home to fight in the war against Russia, CNN Sport has picked out the must-read stories from the last 12 months.
It has been more than a year since Josh Cavallo announced he is gay, but even now he still struggles to comprehend the far-reaching impact his announcement has had.
Cavallo has become one of the most recognizable names and faces in world football since October 2021, as well as becoming something of an icon.
Bengt Kunkel, a German soccer fan, refused to hand over the poppy during a World Cup in Qatar 2022 and his friend Amosov
“I’ve only been to London twice now and I’m like: ‘Wow, I’m all the way from Australia and what I did was via social media,’ and to see the impact it’s had from people on the other side of the globe is absolutely phenomenal.”
During the World Cup in Qatar, two German soccer fans told CNN’s Ben Church that they were asked by security officials at Qatar 2022 to remove the rainbow-colored items that they were wearing as they made their way to watch the match between France and Denmark.
CNN witnessed the conclusion to the incident at the Msheireb Metro Station, in Doha, as Bengt Kunkel, who was wearing a rainbow-colored sweatband and his friend – sporting a similarly colored armband – refused to hand over the items.
After taking the Germans to one side, a group of security guards eventually let them go – on condition that they put the rainbow-colored items in their pockets, according to Kunkel.
“Out of nowhere. Kunkel told CNN that his friend was taken away from the crowd and was told to take the shirt off.
A number of high-profile Ukrainian athletes decided to return to their home country and help in the war efforts after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
On May 13, he was supposed to defend his world title at Wembley Arena in London. Amosov joined the territorial defense to help civilians in and around the town.
Since he first refused to wear the poppy in 2012, McClean and his family have been subjected to abuse both in football stadiums across England and online.
The Republic of Ireland international, who was born in Northern Ireland, has been outspoken about what the poppy and Remembrance Sunday mean to his community and its relationship to the British military.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/31/sport/cnn-sports-top-stories-2022-spt-intl/index.html
The Nepali worker who was arrested in a jail to become a boxer during the 2014 World Cup: CNN meets the fighters behind the scenes
Simiso Buthelezi, Miracle Amaeze and Luis Quiñones are some of the talented boxers who have died this year as they pursued their sporting careers and chased dreams of world titles.
It is an accepted risk of the profession. The database first compiled by an anti-boxing activist estimated 1,604 Boxers died from injuries sustained in the ring between 1890 and 2011; an average of 13 deaths a year.
That’s a shocking statistic for a professional sport, but perhaps not altogether that surprising. As Stephanie Alessi-LaRosa, director of Hartford Healthcare’s sports neurology program, points out, it’s a boxer’s objective in a fight “to neurologically impair the opponent.”
Ahead of the World Cup, CNN interviewed a Nepali worker who was held in a jail in Qatari for a week after being arrested without explanation.
He stated that the cell he shared with 24 other Nepali migrant workers had a dirty bed bug-ridden mattress, but he was given a blanket and pillow to sleep on.
There were people from all around the world inside the jail. There were a lot of units. There were around 300 people in the jail. Around 24-25 people per room,” he says.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/31/sport/cnn-sports-top-stories-2022-spt-intl/index.html
Amir Assadollahzadeh: Running for the world championships in Tehran, October 2022 (intl/sports/topstories)
At the age of two, Cline says that her interest was obvious to her parents by the way she’d be pulling “little baby chin-ups,” at the kitchen counter. By the time she was nine or 10, Cline had outgrown her local coaches and was now travelling an hour from home to train at an elite club.
For a while, her love of the sport continued, but Cline says everything changed when Vladimir Lashin and his wife Svetlana arrived as the new coaching team. Cline says that the mood in the gym quickly darkened.
“Immediately, it was verbally abusive,” she recalled. They would humiliate you if you made any mistakes. It was not long after that the coaches began to physically abuse each other.
Traditionally billions of viewers watch the World Cup, and as they concentrate on what is happening on the pitch, the names of some of the world’s biggest companies flash behind the players on a rolling, technicolored loop – Budweiser, Visa, Coca-Cola, Qatar Airways, Adidas, McDonalds, Wanda, Vivo, Hyundai Kia.
Athletes who are good enough to compete in the world championships are among the very best in their field. They dedicate their lives to the pursuit of their craft, they are proud to represent their countries, and they all dream of returning home with medals around their necks.
But at the IPF World Powerlifting Championships held in November, one athlete wasn’t competing for glory; Iranian Amir Assadollahzadeh says he found himself quite literally running for his life.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/31/sport/cnn-sports-top-stories-2022-spt-intl/index.html
Leaving Assadollahzadeh for Stavanger: A “unicorn moment” for the sport of ultrarunning
He made a decision that would change his life at around 3.30 am, when he left the hotel in the Norwegian city of Stavanger on the North Sea Coast.
“I took what I needed for my journey and left,” Assadollahzadeh recalled. “I quickly ran towards the bus station, but I arrived five minutes too late.”
Camille Herron has called it a “unicorn moment” for the sport of ultrarunning – a performance that expanded the notion of what women can achieve in endurance events.
She won the 100 mile race at the Jackpot Ultra Running Festival in Henderson, Nevada, and set a world record in the process.
But the photo that Messi chose to upload to his Instagram page to celebrate winning the World Cup smashed the app’s previous record – held by said egg – for the most liked post ever.