| Money, mouth and missing a world cup 12:29 - Oct 21 with 1419 views | saint901 |
Today, more than 100 women international players have signed an open letter to FIFA, condemning the sponsorship deal with Aramco.
The claim is that the Saudi company (state owned) represents a regime that supresses women's rights and that the sponsorship is the regime trying to sportswash their image. In other words, Saudi Arabia is trying to but reputation and credibility.
Some observations.
1. We do not see the male footballers doing this and so far no sign that they will support the call for the sponsorship to be ended.
2. FIFA will be unable to hear this call from the players being deafened by the sound of counting machines keep pace with all those dollars arriving.
3. How many players will boycott the next two world cups (one male, one female) when FIFA declines to stop the money rolling in? And will you need two hands to count them?
4. Faced with a choice of appearing in a world cup or standing by your principles that the Saudi regime is detrimental to human rights, especially femal human rights, what would you do? |  | | |  |
| Money, mouth and missing a world cup on 12:52 - Oct 21 with 1350 views | PatfromPoole |
I went to the last World Cup in Qatar.
Had a great time.
My travelling companion, a female, had absolutely no problem over there at all.
Russia four years prior to that had also been blown up by all in the media as a “do not go!!” , but was absolutely fine.
Makes it easier for me to get tickets and keeps a lot of idiots away, so no qualms from me. |  |
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| Money, mouth and missing a world cup on 13:04 - Oct 21 with 1330 views | saint901 |
I'll suggest that a professional player and fan might have different views?
Would a professional player risk damaging a career or possibly breaching a contract for the sake of their conscience?
If we (all of us) are not prepared to do what we can (anything from refusing to buy tickets for a tournament to getting elected and using Parliament as a soapbox) to force change upon a regime we consider to be inhumane or repressive, are we condoning that regime?
There has to be a point at which we make a stand.
These days, most regimes will shrug off political actions and press commentary.
But money talks. So using sponsorships to buy favour works - and so do boycotts which cost money.
If FIFA was unable to sell say 30% of the tickets for the next world cups would that force them to reconsider this sponsorship?
My personal experience here is limited - I've not been able to afford the time or the cost of a world or European cup competition - but I have refused to work for people who I consider to be example of the wrong kind.
And yes that was an entirely subjective, possibly unfair decision that made me feel better briefly but which made almost no difference to the world at large. | | | |
| Money, mouth and missing a world cup on 13:07 - Oct 21 with 1319 views | PatfromPoole |
The world has changed.
People’s idea of a protest nowadays is a campaign on Facestalk or an online petition. | |
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| Money, mouth and missing a world cup on 14:12 - Oct 21 with 1283 views | saint901 |
| Money, mouth and missing a world cup on 13:07 - Oct 21 by PatfromPoole |
The world has changed.
People’s idea of a protest nowadays is a campaign on Facestalk or an online petition. |
Sadly that is very true.
I've said before that I've refused to act for certain people. Most recently a "sovereign citizen" who wanted me to argue that she should not pay a tax that most people do pay because she was not a "person" who lived in and consumed services within the UK but rather a "human of the world, with freedom of choice".
My argument that her freedom of choice to pay (or not) tax on her income existed but that not paying might see her made bankrupt or worse. At that point she started claiming all sorts of "rights" to stay out of jail - courtesy of the legal system that she says doesn't apply to her.
She even claimed that I had to take her case and had no "right" to walk away.
Delusional and now probably spending more on legal costs then tax. | | | |
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