The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
In my opinion on one hand its very difficult to seperate football from politics and on the other its very easy to do so whilst watching a game for 90 minutes . One one hand we have a World Cup hosted by a nationalist country with a high level of corruption ,poor record on LGBT rights, racism, a dubious foreign policy and where there is little in the way of political opposition . The host nations first game was against Saudi Arabia a despicable conservative regime that has financed and promoted Islamic extremism , bans trade unions and has an appalling human rights record. A plague on both houses would have been the response of many until a relatively unfancied Russia scored five and exceeded expectaions football wise.T Add to that the experience of most attending the World Cup has not been the anti LGBT , racist, hooligan violence hell that was predicted ( Iranian women can attend football matches there) and perhaps Russia isnt that bad after all?
Theres a grim list of teams in Russia with terrible human rights , high levels of corruption and and disgusting inequalities .However they are pretty much the underdogs against the big teams and unless you have a bet on the big teams or have them in the sweepstake its natural ( isn't it?) to want an upset.Or is there a line that can be drawn about teams who are not only from repressive regimes but whose style of play is a crime against football? Or countries like Egypt who despite trying citizens in miltary courts, persecuting human rights defenders and subjecting them to travel bans, repressing trade unions and attacking gays in fact pretty much working to eradicate independent civil society in the country are ok because they have Mo Salah?
Dont get me wrong I can remember cheering Iran on in one World Cup against the USA just on the grounds that it was against the USA but I can also remember cheering the USA on in another World Cup because Landon Donovan was playing for them.
I dont know what the answer is , perhaps there isnt one?
Theres a grim list of teams in Russia with terrible human rights , high levels of corruption and and disgusting inequalities .However they are pretty much the underdogs against the big teams and unless you have a bet on the big teams or have them in the sweepstake its natural ( isn't it?) to want an upset.Or is there a line that can be drawn about teams who are not only from repressive regimes but whose style of play is a crime against football? Or countries like Egypt who despite trying citizens in miltary courts, persecuting human rights defenders and subjecting them to travel bans, repressing trade unions and attacking gays in fact pretty much working to eradicate independent civil society in the country are ok because they have Mo Salah?
Dont get me wrong I can remember cheering Iran on in one World Cup against the USA just on the grounds that it was against the USA but I can also remember cheering the USA on in another World Cup because Landon Donovan was playing for them.
I dont know what the answer is , perhaps there isnt one?
) and places it in the same sphere as governments. Working class people who have naff all to do with the establishment of their country. I was working with a lovely family from Saudi Arabia last week, who live here in sad circumstances and aren't any of the awful things we might rightly level at the Saudi state. They were delighted to be able to watch and support 11 lads from their home country in the world cup. I'd have loved for them to get a win. That's the end of it for me. 
