BILLY BREMNER MEMORIAL JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN
Date: 26th May 2024
It is quite some time since Vladimir Putin started his invasion of Ukraine. Since then, there has been a degree of solidarity between nations insofar as Russian athletes and then Belarussian ones being banned or taken out of competitions. There are some notable exceptions and these include tennis and boxing.
But there has been universal sporting condemnation of the aggressive actions of the mighty Russian Bear.
Gaza has provoked much debate within campuses in America and also in the UK as students have taken to the streets and their tents to stage a variety of high stakes and well-coordinated action in protest against the Israeli government. We have also seen the Green Brigade at Parkhead continue to signal their long-held support for the Palestinian cause by staging protests and making their voices heard to ensure their unpopularity continues amongst some and their fan base keeps their faith.
I am no member of the Green Brigade and am a firm believer in the right of Israel to exist.
But one of the problems I have with sport is its inane ability, at times, to try and avoid existing in the real world. There is a pretence that certain rules simply should not apply to sport – fitba is a principal offender.
We see that in the way that Saudi Arabia is recasting itself through their Riyadh Season with money thrown at boxing. You can see that with the prestige which comes from having Formula One grace its shores. Golf and football have transformed themselves and even snooker is being seduced by the gargantuan amounts of money on offer for people to place any misgivings to the side and take the Sheikh’s shilling.
And so, the news that our national women’s team shall play a Euro 2025 qualifying game against Israel hits hard. Despite my own avowed middle eastern preferences, like Russia, Israel should not have the carpet hoovered to welcome them in. We should not be playing them at all, in the current febrile atmosphere of world politics. Nobody should.
The fact that it is to be played behind closed doors is because the SFA were alerted that there will be trouble in playing at all. They know that mass protests are inevitable, and they shall now happen outside Hampden rather than in it. The media face of Scottish football is likely to be one hell of a damning picture of protesters outside the ground trying to get in and a police presence we could probably do without.
As they say in America, the optics are likely to be pretty bad.
The return leg in Hungary is also behind closed doors.
But what can the SFA do? Refuse to play it? End up being fined, or worse by UEFA?
And let’s face it, principled stands by the SFA can be described as pretty rare.
The Scottish players have a right to represent their country and do so in sanctioned competitions as they work towards a pinnacle of their career. We are level on points at the top of the group with Serbia for the Euros in 2025. Israel is the bottom side and have yet to win. Six points shall be seen as expected for the Women’s side.
But the endorsement of normality for countries that are guilty of some of the worst atrocities in this century should not have that flag draped across them – their actions are not normal. They should be told, especially as they are a democracy, that “not in my name” needs to see more demonstrations on the streets leading to real change at the top of their government. Pulling on the colours of your country to represent your country means implicit endorsement that you are the representative of the country and have a duty to do so to the best of your ability. Internationally we all have a similar and reverse responsibility, when that country is behaving in a reprehensible manner to let them know that we do not endorse what they are doing. Internationally football should withdraw the Israeli teams from all international competitions – only real reason they are playing in European competitions is because they cannot risk playing in local international competitions – to join with the rest of the world who condemn the actions of any government guilty of such atrocities, in placing sufficient pressure on the Israeli government to stop this rush to genocide. But once again the moral authority of sport is weakened by its chasing of mammon and not the principles upon which many engage – fair play and integrity.
And for the avoidance of doubt, following the Hamas attack, I would have applied the same principles to Palestinian athletes, but the actions of the Israeli Government has negated that principle however two wrongs, are still wrong.
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