On war, peace, and sports
It is time to dispel the myth that sports can be a harbinger of diplomacy and peace. True peace is born from justice, not the playing of ball and stick games.
It has been almost a year since FIFA president Gianni Infantino issued a plea for a temporary ceasefire in all conflicts for the duration of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar while having lunch with G20 leaders in Bali, Indonesia.
"My plea to all of you, to think on a temporary ceasefire for one month for the duration of the World Cup, or at least the implementation of some humanitarian corridors, or anything that could lead to the resumption of dialogue as a first step to peace," Infantino said.
"You're the world leaders; you have the ability to influence the course of history. Football and the World Cup are offering you and the world a unique platform of unity and peace all over the world."
Infantino gave a similar speech during the 2018 G20 summit in Buenos Aires, stating at the time that football could solve many of the world’s problems. Paradoxically, he went on to congratulate Russian president Vladimir Putin—the man behind wars in Chechnya, Georgia, as well as the annexation of Crimea at the time—on staging the "best World Cup ever.” Infantino even gave a hat tip to Saudi Arabia, which was then engaged in a war in Yemen.
Of course, Infantino is far from the only notable figure to preach the romanticized notion that sports can help bring about peace. Earlier this year, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach shared a similar sentiment in a message to mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
"Like few other things, sport has the power to foster peace and understanding with our fellow human beings.” Bach said. "At the Olympic Games, the athletes set aside all the differences that divide the world. This makes the Olympic Games such a powerful symbol of peace.”
Bach’s statement came a week after the IOC Executive board recommended that individual Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed to return to competition as neutrals, despite Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Much like Infantino, Bach reeked of hypocrisy and self-interest, promoting the notion that sports are indispensable to diplomacy, which is far from reality.
There are currently more than a dozen wars and conflicts taking place around the world. From Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the civil wars in Sudan and Ethiopia to name a few, this past year has been stained in tragedy and civilian blood.
The violence does not end there. This past weekend Hamas launched an unprecedented attack that saw the militant group fire thousands of missiles and break through the fence separating the besieged Gaza from Israel. Hundreds of Israelis were killed in the attacks and dozens have been taken hostage. Israel has since retaliated with a counterattack that killed more than 200 Palestinians so far, with the grim prospect of more casualties and destruction.
While the attacks on Israeli civilians constitute heinous and deplorable war crimes, Hamas’s attacks come as more than two million Palestinians continue to suffer under a 16-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The blockade, which is enforced by Israel and backed by Egypt along the border with the Sinai, came into existence after Hamas assumed full control of Gaza in 2007. And while Israel claims the blockade is necessary to ensure security, human rights organizations and Palestinian activists say it amounts to collective punishment for the actions of the militant group.
Gaza’s hospitals suffer from equipment and medicine shortages because of the blockade, and Palestinians in Gaza must apply for permits to leave the enclave, which few are granted. Human Rights Watch even described Gaza as an “open-air prison.”
For decades, the world has stood by as Israel continued its occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including attacks on Palestinian villages by settlers.
In October 2020, an Israeli court ruled that several Palestinian families living in East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah were to be evicted and their land handed over to Jewish families. This prompted protests in May 2021 ahead of the impending evictions, which led to Israel deploying its forces to quash demonstrations.
As tensions continued to rise, Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound—one of Islam’s holiest sites—on May 7 and violently attacked protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets, and stun grenades. Approximately 300 people were injured, mostly Palestinians.
In response to Israel’s aggression, Hamas began firing rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on May 10, which caused Israel to retaliate with a campaign of airstrikes against the besieged enclave, destroying 18 buildings, 40 schools, and four hospitals. The offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera were also destroyed on May 15. In total, Israel demolished 94 buildings in Gaza, according to the United Nations. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect on May 21, ending 11 days of fighting that killed 269 people, including at least 67 Palestinian children.
Overall, at least 72,000 Palestinians were displaced throughout the course of the Israel-Palestine crisis in May.
Then in December 2022, Israel elected its most far-right and religious government to date. The coalition government is led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and comprises two ultra-Orthodox parties and three far-right parties, one of which is the ultranationalist Religious Zionism party. The new Israeli government was elected in a year where more than 150 Palestinians and over 20 Israelis were killed in the West Bank and Israel.
On such victim was Ahmed Daraghmeh, a 23-year-old football player from the city of Tubas who was fatally shot by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in 2022, according to Reuters.
While Infantino never once mentioned Daraghmeh or any of the other victims of Israel’s ongoing occupation, he has repeatedly referenced his “dream” for Israel and its Arab neighbours co-hosting a World Cup.
“Why can’t we dream of the World Cup in Israel and its neighbours?” Infantino said during his first official visit to Israel in October 2021—a few short months after Egypt mediated a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Infantino gave his speech at the so-called Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem, which was built over the oldest Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem dating back to the 11th century, further emphasizing the sheer hypocrisy of his statement.
Beyond Infantino and Bach’s absurd statements, Arab countries have also attempted to use sports to present the facade of peace with Israel in the wake of the Abraham Accord normalization agreement—agreements that were passed without popular support from Arab citizens.
Last month, four Israeli weightlifters became the first athletes from an Olympic sport to compete in Saudi Arabia when they competed at the IWF World Championships in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia Weightlifting Federation president Mohamed Alharbi said at the time that “at the World Championships, everyone is welcome" while IWF President Mohammed Jalood added that Israel’s participation “shows that the weightlifting family is a strong, united family. Sport is outside politics."
Here’s the thing: Saudi’s willingness to allow Israeli athletes to compete at the World Championships had little to do with peace and unity. It was a political decision taken in step with the kingdom’s ongoing talks to normalize relations with Israel. Nothing more, nothing less.
It's crucial to recognize that the appeals for peace from some of the most influential figures in the sports world are primarily motivated by their financial interests. Entities like the IOC and FIFA, the two most powerful entities in international sports, are under the influence of leaders that are ethnically compromised and who often portray themselves as peacemakers, despite their primary roles as shrewd businessmen who prioritize their stakeholders' interests above all else.
In reality, Infantino and Bach’s public calls for peace should be considered within the context of their own objectives and the broader financial landscape of international sports. While they may outwardly champion peace as part of their public relations efforts, the core driving force remains the pursuit of profit and maintaining their influence in the global sports arena.
It is time to dispel the myth that sports can be a harbinger of diplomacy and peace. True peace is born from justice, not the playing of ball and stick games.
Sports can do great things. They have the power to transform athletes' lives, instil discipline and self-confidence, and provide a platform for often-overlooked causes. They can ignite discussions, uncover corruption, and serve as a vehicle for free expression, especially in authoritarian regimes.
What it cannot do, however, is change the world.
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Yesterday on MSNBC's YouTube Channel Ari Melber was discussing how this Hamas vs. Israeli conflict got to this point. In the comments I referenced Karim's article and quoted a snippet from his article. MSNBC youtube moderators deleted the comment.
I applaud Karim for applying context. In the news media I’ve listened to so far NO ONE mentioned anything Karim pointed out. Seems like Israel is getting some comeuppance for their previous actions.