Football gala ends; politics leaves a stain
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The organisers of the FIFA World Cup have written their verdict on the day before the final match. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has boasted that the tournament has exceeded expectations and that FIFA is the world’s “official provider of happiness". President Trump of the US, one of the host countries, has called it the greatest sporting event in history. Infantino has undoubtedly been a “happiness provider” for Trump. The awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize and the lifting of the ban on the American player who received a red card pleased Trump. The tournament, which was promoted with the slogan “Football unites the world”, is being held alongside a war that is suffocating the world. Trump, who said that “America has spread peace through the tournament,” went straight to declaring that he would intensify the war with Iran. While Infantino and Trump congratulated each other, Israel bombed the funeral of Palestinians it had killed with American support, killing 14 more people. Football has a great capacity to captivate minds and nations through the thrill of competition. But that capacity has been significantly diminished by the FIFA leadership and the main host country; they have politicized the game for the sake of power and money. Football has a history of standing up against inhumane discrimination and injustice. At the same time, there have also been instances of money and power being subservient throughout FIFA's history. This time, the organisers, who raised the slogan of unification, acted against it.
The person who was awarded the special “FIFA Peace Prize” is a major player in the war. Russia, which hosted the World Cup in 2018, was banned from the next tournament because of its invasion of Ukraine. However, it could not take action against Israel, which is now committing an even greater crime. It was eliminated in the qualifying round. The United States, which is fighting alongside Israel against Palestine and Iran, is the main host; it has the power to influence FIFA’s policies. Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was appointed as one of the referees, was sent back from the airport by US authorities. Despite his qualifications, reputation, FIFA appointment, and US travel visa, the US banned him from FIFA. The reason is that he is from Somalia, which Trump does not like. FIFA justified the host country's ban on the referee it appointed. They say they do not interfere in the host country's immigration policies. This means that that country can even ban teams if they want to, according to Trump's whim. The injustice the US did to the Iranian team embarrassed football fans: the team stayed in Mexico, played in the United States; they were shunted here and there without being given time to rest or train. Fifteen officials from the Iranian team were denied visas. Iraqi striker Ayman Hussein was detained at the airport for seven hours. Iraq's official photographer was sent back.
The organisers are destroying the human unity that football used to represent. Trump manages to preside over war and the fair at the same time. At the end of the 48-team tournament in three North American countries, a larger reality had to be acknowledged beyond success and records: it was also a contest between the humanity of football and the violent politics of anti-humanity. It wasn't Spain or Argentina that won that contest, it was America's arrogance. Narrow and inhumane immigration rules, visa restrictions, abusive policies against players and officials, vile discrimination, and FIFA’s subservience—all of these have tarnished the game’s brilliance. The 23rd FIFA tournament, which has become the biggest competition with the addition of 16 new teams, has been turned into the most extensive global sporting event by spectators and players alike. Infantino and Trump, who used this beautiful game for their own interests, were unable to destroy the game because of its popularity. They cannot destroy it, but they can corrupt it. And that is what they did. It is doubtful whether the original beauty and humanity of the game can be restored under the current FIFA leadership.
