There are many ways people can express their political views: Dress, music, art. Football is a force to be reckoned with in the political arena. With the Palestinian national side recently playing their first ‘home’ game, I felt it was an apt time to examine how influential the beautiful game can be.
Let us firstly consider the notion of Palestine having a team. Here is a battered territory full of beleaguered, oppressed people, crushed by a force acting almost with impunity, if not arrogance. The team was not recognised by FIFA until 13 years ago and their ‘masters’ occasionally prevent the team travelling to away games for ‘security reasons’. That the West Bank held its first international this year speaks volumes as to the progress the country is making. An independent and unmolested country is the goal, but a football team is a massive part of the process.
It isn’t just disputed territories that ferments footballing rebellion. The best team in the world use the slogan ‘Mes Que Un Club’. Translated as More Than a Club, FC Barcelona are the perfect example of the Catalan stereotype – their passion and freedom on the field translates to something that transcends the Nou Camp and maybe football itself. The sport, even using a passive example like this, is one of the most high-profile ways of gaining support for a political cause and these are just two examples using teams.
It makes me wonder where the line should be drawn? Why is it that yellow and green scarves are allowed at Old Trafford in protest at their American owners but God forbid if someone on the field actually has a view on world events? It is sad that business takes priority over politics. There is a stereotype that the average footballer is detached from the world, collecting their five figure paycheck and running to court to slap a superinjunction on any one night stand that dares expose their private lives. There must be another way. Real Madrid legend Raul wore Fernando Morientes’ shirt in protest at the treatment of his friend and teammate. Politics should be encouraged on the field.
It’s my view that players should be encouraged to be as political as possible. We may not agree with everything people say, but who agrees with everything in a democracy? That Salomon Kalou was forced to deny that his handcuffs celebration was not, in fact, a namecheck to their countryman and political activist Antoine Assalé Tiémoko but to Shawn Michaels is a quietly tragic stain on the FA. The best league in the world should lead by example and allow player celebrations to take on a political dimension.
It is easy to see why national organisations punish political activity. There’s always the chance of offending sponsors and creating headlines that do not talk about the game. Why should someone who is watched by millions be allowed to air their views over anyone else? Those arguments are strong but whether it’s Freddy Kanoute showing solidarity with Gaza or Robbie Fowler declaring his support for Liverpool dockers (both were fined), surely the sport is richer for exposing and promoting points of debate on the front page as well as the back?
Tributes are generally less controversial than political statements. Swansea City lost Besian Idrizaj through a heart defect in 2010. The Austrian was a Kosovan-born striker who made only four appearances for the Swans, but his loss hit the club hard. In the aftermath of his death, the local feeling was that his first British club, Liverpool, should come to the Liberty to play a friendly. Perhaps some opportunism on the part of the Jacks, perhaps not.
The club though did not forget him. The players wore shirts remembering their fallen teammate after their successful playoff win against Reading. They retired his number and then-teammate Shefki Kuqi (also Kosovan) went to live with the Idrizaj family to console them for their loss. However, a symbolic game against the Kosovan national side (who are not FIFA members) would have made a stronger statement and landed a massive political and cultural blow to those who dispute their claims to independence.
It might be that people need that weekend escape. Football and politics shouldn’t mix, players should just play and leave their views off the field. Life isn’t like that. The game permeates every aspect of modern society and for something as high profile as football, shouldn’t it be the case that it reflects public feeling in a democracy, however unpopular people’s views might be?
What’s your view? Tell me on Twitter @Hashistweeting or see the other things I’ve written at http://passinterference.wordpress.com
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