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By Tony Attwood
It is one thing to disagree with a topic, and put forward evidence and from that explain your point of view. It is quite another to pretend the topic doesn’t exist. Yet that is what we see in the new Fifa report on Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup finals; a report which reminded me exactly why I call this blog “Untold”. Because journalists can refuse to debate certain topics. Like the utter corruption of Fifa and Uefa.
In the most simple terms, although there is a physical world out there which in many regards can’t be doubted (the sort of world described by the sentence “in my garden there are three trees which are each over 80 feet tall”), the way in which one writes about football, and the way we choose which are the important issues to put in what we write, reflect he way we see the world.
To give one clear example: the decision by the mass media and most of its hangers-on, never to discuss PGMO, referee bias (in terms for example of having a propensity for away wins), the deliberate restriction on the number of referees so that the same refs keep overseeing matches of the same clubs etc etc etc, is a decision made by the media.
As a result of that, when Untold spends a lot of time analysing referees and reporting on their biases and variations in approach, we can be condemned as “typical Arsenal,” “paranoid”, “always complaining,” and “always looking for excuses.”
But the simple point is that when the media has a bias, not in the sense of supporting one club rather than another, but in universally refusing even to contemplate such topics as referee bias, the ludicrously low numbers of referees, the difference between results of games without crowds, and those played in front of crowds etc etc, and indeed the secrecy of PGMO, there is an issue.
Now of course in times of war, no one demands that the enemy’s point of view is heard. The nation is at war, and we expect the media to support our country no matter what.
But in other matters, we do expect a balance – not just on dealing with a specific topic, but in terms of which topics are selected for debate. By making the topic of referees and their performances, and the topic of PGMO and the way it conducts itself, utterly off limits, the media does us all a grave disservice.
And I think of this (yet again) today because of the issue of where the World Cup planned for Saudi Arabia will be held. (Hint: the answer is Saudi Arabia).
But should it?
Well, the Telegraph today says, “The 110 pages in Fifa’s report into Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup finals discuss everything from hotel provision, referees’ training camps and climatic conditions to food and beverage revenue projections and even human rights. Of the LGBT community and how they might be accommodated in a kingdom where homosexuality is illegal, there is not a single mention.”
Of course I haven’t had a chance to read the full report, but given that Amnesty’s head of labour rights and sport Steve Cockburn said, “FIFA’s evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s World Cup is an astonishing whitewash of the country’s atrocious human rights record,” I’d say it probably is, indeed, a whitewash.
As the Telegraph says, “Of the LGBT community and how they might be accommodated in a kingdom where homosexuality is illegal, there is not a single mention.”
And to be completely clear, I am not a member of the LGBT community, but I certainly will do what I can (which I know is not very much) to defend their rights, just as I would try and speak out against the way the labourers who built the stadia used in 2022. Indeed the handling of that issue in 2022 should have been enough to see England and other major footballing countries remove themselves from Fifa once and for all.
My overall point therefore is that the media, even when it admits there are problems with the way workers are treated and the way the LGBG+ community is treated in these countries, makes the decision to carry on regardless, pushing these issues into a corner even if they mention them at all.
Of course that is the media’s right: the free press decides which issues to take up for discussion. One of the issues they choose not to discuss is PGMO and refereeing. Another is the playing of internationals in countries where human rights are limited.
It is the refusal to debate these topics, and indeed even to acknowledge that they exist, which annoys me so much.
Of course there are many other topics they miss, such as why Arsenal were given an awful run of away games early on. They didn’t even notice that while slagging off Arsenal’s performances until Untold kept on about it and then finally a few publications realised.
And I guess if they can’t even pick up on that topic, they are hardly going to start mentioning human rights in Saudi Arabia. Instead, they’ll send reporters there to celebrate the event.
Great piece Tony.
You don’t need me to tell you, but one word explains everything. MONEY
I never cease to wonder at the lengths people will go to justify their dereliction of morals in their pursuit of money.
Sorry, another word applies too, and that is hypocrisy.
We constantly get preached to with slogans such as ‘kick it out’, and instructions to take the knee, as if somehow these hollow words and meaningless actions give these people some sort of moral validation.
They mean nothing, because in the very next breath they are getting in to bed with some of the viellist, racist, homophobic, misogynistic regimes on the planet.
And the media are happy to play along with every single part of it, without a single question.
You hear the likes of Gary Neville going apoplectic when there is talk of a Super League, pretending he cares about the fans. Couldn’t give a rats arse when fixtures are moved at the last minute to suit SKY, or about the corrupt FA FIFA and UEFA
As I say, Hypocrites the lot of them.
And as an example of exactly what we are talking about, yet again tonight, SKY are fawning all over Man City with their new documentary, 4 in a row.
Will they delve into the charges?
Will they mention the ONE BILLION net spend on players in the first 10 years, that somehow is justified as legitimate ‘earnings’?
Will they delve in to the moral vacuum that is their owners?
I think we all know the answers to those questions.
And why is that do you think?
Because Man City’s owners are filling the pockets of the people who made the documentary. SKY SPORTS
So, Liverpool have beaten Man City at Home 2-0 and that’s it apparently. Title done and dusted. But is it? I beg to differ, because yet again these ‘experts’ point blank refuse to look at the fixtures that have been played.
Yes, Liverpool have been doing well. But that’s it, ‘doing well’. Given who they have played, especially away from home, they have done no more or less than they should of done.
Yes, we know Liverpool are very good at home, but how they fair away from home is where the PL will be won and lost. So lets have a look at what they have been doing away from home, starting with who they have played and their position in the table:
2 – Arsenal
9 – Man Utd
17 – C. Palace
18 – Wolves
19 – Ipswich
20 – Southampton
Yes, they have got results but, and it’s a big but, Liverpool have only visited ONE top 8 and 2 top 10 teams. In fact, only 2 teams that currently sit in the top 16 of the table. 2 teams from the top16!! And what’s more, the other 4 teams they have visited occupy the bottom four places.
Contrast that with Arsenals travels, who have not played away at a single team below 14th placed West Ham. Out of their 7 away fixtures Arsenal have already been to Chelsea, Man City, Spurs, Villa and Newcastle. At which we drew, drew, won, won, won.
Yes, Liverpool have been doing okay, but honestly, the only really tough fixture they have had is Arsenal away. Given Man City’s recent capitulation even todays match was a gimme.
Look, we all know the Liverpool love-in will continue a pace, but honestly, I’m going to see how they fair when they start to visit a few more tough venues. If they come away from those unscathed, fair enough, but until then I think a reality check is needed.
Nitram,
To support your basic point:
Arsenal have been cheated of at least 6 points (potentially 8) already this season. Also, 2 of these were in the Liverpool match. So a proper league table would now shoe Arsenal +6 and Liverpool -2. So we would be only 1 point behind them as a minimum (possibly level or 1 ahead.)
@Nitram,
don’t forget the Sala issue…. if you ask me this starts to look like some screw-up and some Saudi club barging in with obscene ammounts of money to get him. is this gonna disrupt them ? Sure bet…
I wasn’t aware of their schedule like you’ve described it…funny, knid of the opposite of Arsenal… really the algorithm of the PL computers is a strange one…
That being said, Spurs lost another point, City is now behind and 9 points end of november does not seem like any recipe for winning the PL.
I think we are well set, but nothing is done until it is done, and we have to win all those very ‘winnable ‘matches coming up.
My worry is, we all know what will start happening again if and when start to chip away at Liverpool’s lead.
The ‘Letter Of The Law’ will be straight back on the Pigmob’s agenda
Nitram
‘ The ‘Letter Of The Law’ will be straight back on the Pigmob’s agenda ‘
I couldn’t agree more.
I watch a lot of Premier matches on tele and since we were penalised twice for dubious ‘delaying restarts by kicking the ball away’ misdemeanours it is now obvious that a gradual ignoring of similar offences has taken place to the extent that they are now practically ignored.
As far as I am aware we were the only team to suffer red cards on the so called crackdown on this form of time wasting.