May 17 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino opened the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, with a call for unity. It was a rhetorical moment, as the Congress proved as it rattled through agenda point after agenda point with very little debate and a button pushing membership pressing yes to everything on the electronic voting system that was put before them.
The big stuff, like the Palestine motion to suspend Israel, the FIFA membership were not deemed competent enough to vote on. This is FIFA’s idea of unity in action.
FIFA has all the unity it needs, driven by the iron fist of democracy, and the money it dishes out to its federations as though it was some kind of grace and favour stipend for good behaviour, rather than their right as a fully functioning and equal stakeholder in the world’s most important sports organisation.
Gianni gets what Gianni wants, in the name of unity, peace and Gianni’s prayers for the mothers and children suffering unspeakable atrocities in a territory whose name he clearly has trouble saying aloud.
“Football unites the world. But we all know as well that today we are living in a very aggressive world, in a very divided world. So, uniting this world is our responsibility,” said Infantino.
“It is our answer to the aggression, our answer to the hate. Our answer to the war? It is bringing people from all over the world together. This is what football does. (editor’s note: Gianni, you can’t take them to Gaza, the pitches and facilities have been destroyed, the players killed by a noisy neighbour gone bonkers and who has ripped up or flattened their infrastructure. You seem to have missed this point, not even your private jet could get in there).
“From south to north, from east to west. No matter which country, which religion, nothing matters. The only thing that matters is the colour of the jersey that the players wear for their club, or for their national team. So my pledge to start this address to all of…
Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/05/17/bangkok-sketch-infantinos-iron-fist-democracy-new-fifa-currency-unity/
Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-05-17 09:20:26
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