1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 1: Zone Media. Hello everyone, and welcome to it could happen here. 2 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,559 Speaker 1: My name is Danielle Kurd. I'm a researcher and analyst 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: of Arab and Palestinian politics. So I guess I'm getting 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: a little comfortable because I'm going to record another podcast 5 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: episode that's not about something i'm an expert in a 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: little bit more personal maybe, but it does have some 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: political analysis and maybe it'll give you some insight into 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: parts of the world and how they're thinking about recent events. 9 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the World Cup and the travesty of 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: the Egypt versus Argentina game that happened on July seventh, 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six. I'm recording on July seventh, and I'm 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: very worked up about it. So let's see if I 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: can make some useful comments here boiling and raging into 14 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: the microphone. So I'm not gonna recap what happened at 15 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: the game, obviously people have probably already heard, or if 16 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: you know you have the life outside the World Cup 17 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: right now, you can go look it up. But suffice 18 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: to say the rules were not applied evenly. There was 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: this French ref who was basically ignoring fouls who took 20 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: away a goal for reasons that not just me, not 21 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: just data who doesn't know much about soccer, but also 22 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: many others and many experts said were dubious reasons. At 23 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: some point, the behavior of the ref became so egregious 24 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: that the Egyptian coach, Hassam Hassan put up his arms 25 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: in an ex which is the sign for racism, basically 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: calling out any kind of racist action on the field, 27 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: and got yellow carded for doing that. I mean, I 28 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: have no insider information here. I have no inside knowledge, 29 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: but I can tell you as somebody who watched the 30 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: game that ref was egregious. The way even that he 31 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: interacted with the Egyptian team and the Egyptian staff were 32 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: honestly disgusting to witness. Because of all that interference, Egypt 33 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: was eventually eliminated from the World Cup today and right 34 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: after the game, there were Israeli flags in the stadium 35 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 1: being flown in the faces of the coach and the players, 36 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 1: and then there was beer being thrown at the players 37 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: and at Egyptian fans by the Argentinians. And actually just 38 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: a few hours ago, the Egyptian team announced that it 39 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: was putting in a complaint a formal complaint against this 40 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: ref with FIFA. Now, like I said, I'm recording on 41 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: the day of, so I don't know what's going to 42 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: happen with that complaint. FIFA obviously doesn't give a crap 43 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: about racism and doesn't care about an Arab team being mistreated. 44 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: But there it is. There was actually an official complaint 45 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: against this ref. It wasn't just a bluster. Now. In 46 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: terms of the Egyptian team itself as one of the 47 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: Arab teams that has gotten far, one of two from 48 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: the region that have gotten far, Egypt and Morocco, I've 49 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: only seen them really mentioned in English speaking media for 50 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: two reasons, and the first more than the second. The 51 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: first reason are all the controversies around homophobia some of 52 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: the players have refused to participate in like anti homophobia 53 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,119 Speaker 1: initiatives for example prior to this World Cup, and the 54 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: most glaring example of the homophobia situation was when in Seattle, 55 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: where Egypt played Iran. Seattle designated that match as the 56 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: Pride match because it just so happened to fall on 57 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: Pride weekend, and both the Egyptian and the Iranian teams 58 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: formally objected to FIFA because in particular for Egypt and 59 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: similarly in Iran. But I'm because I'm talking about Egypt here. 60 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: Homosexuality is criminalized in Egypt, and the Egyptian Football Association 61 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: basically said that these activities contradict their culture and religion 62 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: and their values and they didn't want to be associated 63 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: with this pride match thing. Now, FIFA denied their request 64 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: to ban rainbow flags, for example, but they prohibited any 65 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: kind of like pride activities within the stadium venue. So 66 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: that angle has been in the media a lot, and 67 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: some of the comments from the coach and a few 68 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: of the players has been in the media a lot 69 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: around this issue. The second reason I've seen in the 70 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: media any kind of focus on the Egyptian team, and 71 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: much less so than the first reason, as I said, 72 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: has been the fact that this coach is very pro Cci, 73 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: who is the president of Egypt, the dictator of Egypt 74 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: currently and who overturned democracy basically in a coup. And 75 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 1: we don't have all the time here to recount how 76 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: he came to power, but suffice to say, not a 77 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: great guy. But this coach has been kind of effusive 78 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: in how much he is pro Cc, constantly thanking him 79 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: constantly thinking the authorities of Egypt and being very kind of, 80 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: like I said, effusive about how much he loves the dictatorship. 81 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: And I will say, it's actually funny how he himself 82 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: is like quite an authoritarian character. So like in Egypt, 83 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: he is constantly threatening pundits and commentators and saying like, 84 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: you know, we all have to rally around the team, 85 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: and like you shouldn't criticize, and just like we rally 86 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: around our political leadership, you rally around us. And he's 87 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: also very litigious, like he's threatened to sue pundits who 88 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: have criticized his coaching. So he himself is, like I said, 89 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: quite the character, and for a variety of reasons, people 90 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: can find him distasteful. The Guardian also put out this 91 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 1: really interesting report about why the coaches the way he 92 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: is and how the Egyptian team and the football association 93 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 1: has become increasingly tied up with the dictatorship. I will 94 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 1: link it in the show notes. All of the details 95 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 1: are extremely fascinating and disturbing, but I'll read some of 96 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: it here because basically, the Guardian report says Hasem Hassan 97 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: the coach, his actions align with the reality of who 98 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: now owns Egyptian football. Essentially all of it is now 99 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: linked to the military and intelligence services in that country, 100 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: and there's all these examples of how One that really 101 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 1: stood out to me was the fact that Egyptian fans, 102 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: if they want a ticket to a game, or if 103 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: they want to go to like a watch down or 104 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: something like that, there's only one app and that app 105 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: requires a biometric fan ID for every person getting a ticket, 106 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: and it's owned apply the media conglomerate that's itself owned 107 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: by Egypt's General Intelligence Service. So it's you know, not 108 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 1: coincidental that this like authoritarian character who is very effusive 109 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 1: of the dictator is who gets elevated as the coach 110 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: of the team. That said, with all of these issues, 111 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: you know, there are so many things that people can 112 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: find and distasteful, can find inappropriate, can find outrageous about 113 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: any of these teams, any of these players. But there 114 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: is something to me that reeks of racism when fans, 115 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: especially celebrate these teams. When someone like me is celebrating 116 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: the Egyptian team or the Moroccan team, or these teams 117 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: that come from my region, they represent me at the 118 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: World Cup. I have people who especially on social media, 119 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: get up in my mentions basically acting snide like why 120 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: would you support this team? Why would you support the 121 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: Egyptian team when there are these issues with it? Or 122 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: why don't these players speak out about their government about Gaza? 123 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: That one is particularly for me, gross that people bring up. 124 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: They kind of use Gaza as a cudgel to say, oh, 125 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: you know, you shouldn't be celebrating these teams and how 126 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: they are you and all the kind of snide remarks 127 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: that I've been getting, especially and then every fan of 128 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: the teams has been getting. But it's a really ridiculous 129 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: thing to say to the fans of these teams, or 130 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 1: even to most of the players that aren't like outwardly 131 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: outspoken with bad views. Most of them are not talking 132 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: about anything. They're players who play for a team that 133 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: comes from a very authoritarian context. They cannot speak out 134 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: I guess their government. They can't criticize government policy. And 135 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: it's outrageous that only teams from the Global South, you know, 136 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 1: black and brown players are the ones who are tasked 137 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: with holding their governments accountable. But nobody ever talks to 138 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: the American team. Nobody ever says to Polisic, Hey, why 139 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: does your government support genocide in Gaza? Nobody makes him 140 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: answer for anything, even though ostensibly we are a democracy 141 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: and we have much more responsibility for what our government 142 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 1: does than what Egyptians, in a very authoritarian Egypt, have 143 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: any kind of responsibility towards their government. So I'm sure 144 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 1: you can hear it in my voice. I'm a little 145 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: ticked off about how we're told we can't even support 146 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: our teams, who are composed not of policymakers, but composed 147 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: of football players, soccer players, and we're told we can't 148 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: do that because how dare they not answer for every 149 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: ill in their society? And it's again particularly outrageous to 150 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: use Gaza as the reason you might criticize support for 151 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: the Egyptian team or any other regional team, when Gazans 152 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 1: themselves are cheering on Egypt. In fact, today at the 153 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: beginning of the match, Hammaderwahadi, who is a member of 154 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: the Egyptian Relief Committee in Gaza, which is a group 155 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: that also organized screenings of the FIFA matches in Gaza, 156 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: was killed by Israel. Now, of course, all the racists 157 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: who are calling out these individual teams and individual members 158 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: of these teams for not being more outspoken. I'm not 159 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: going to say anything about the Mahmadwahadi and of course 160 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: FIFA will not say anything about Hammadewahadi, but we're not allowed, 161 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,559 Speaker 1: of course, to support our teams. And this is the 162 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: larger context I will say for why particularly, I can 163 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: speak for Arab fans, we are so outraged about what 164 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 1: happened today at the game, because it's more than just 165 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:16,120 Speaker 1: the game and the way that Arab media is discussing 166 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: what's happened. There is really a sense of outrage and 167 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: people are screaming this sounds like a conspiracy because the 168 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: Egyptian team and the coach in particular have been so 169 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: outspoken about Palestine. A few days ago at the press conference, 170 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: the Egyptian coach basically talked on and on about Palestine 171 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: and asked FIFA, you know, as a coach and as 172 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 1: somebody who's bringing a team to compete at their tournament, 173 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: to use its quote unquote soft power to alleviate suffering 174 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: for Palestinians, to let Palestinians quote unquote live. And he said, 175 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: if there is anyone in the world who does not 176 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human, 177 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: whether they are Arab, European or American. And he talked 178 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 1: on and on about this, and I think I understand, 179 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 1: you know that FIFA can't do anything about the larger conflict, 180 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: but FIFA created a whole fake award to curry favor 181 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: with Trump. So basically the coach was saying, hey, do 182 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: something to alleviate suffering in Palestine. Then they also dedicated 183 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: their last victory to the Palestinian people and have been 184 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: really using that kind of rhetoric. And it's not just rhetoric. Truly, 185 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: Egyptian public opinion has been very clear on what it 186 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: thinks of Palestine and what it thinks of Israel's behavior 187 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: in Palestine. So in that context, when there's this team 188 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 1: who is being more outspoken about this thing that matters 189 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: to them and matters to the region, and then FIFA, 190 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: I mean not just against Egypt, but in a variety 191 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 1: of ways, acts in a corrupt manner and really, you know, 192 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 1: puts their thumb on the scale. It tips the scale 193 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: for bigger teams at one point, reversing a red card 194 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: that an American player got in this scenario with the 195 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: game Egypt versus Argentina. Really it seems like they were 196 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: intent on giving Argentina the victory. Now again, I don't 197 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 1: want to sound conspiratorial. I'm not saying I have inside knowledge, 198 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: but I'm telling you how it looks and how people 199 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: are discussing it in kind of the Arab and Arabic 200 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: language spheres, which is that this team is being punished 201 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: and it's worse and adds insult injury when there are 202 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,439 Speaker 1: fans on the Argentina side waving Israeli flags as the 203 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: team leaves the stadium, or the Israelis in Tel Aviv 204 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: are celebrating the fact that Argentina beat Egypt. I mean 205 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: that is the context through which Arab fans and Arab 206 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: teams are understanding what happened today. And then this is 207 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: of course tied to the fact that FIFA is an 208 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: extremely problematic organization to say the least, and on the 209 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: question of Israel Palestine has been I think for decades 210 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: faced with requests and campaigns to suspend Israel from FIFA 211 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,319 Speaker 1: the Israel Football Association for the various crimes, the targeting 212 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: of athletes, etc. And has refused all of that. And 213 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: this has come up again in this world Cup with 214 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 1: activists unfrolling banners and things like this, saying kick Israel 215 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: out of FIFA. Now the situation has gotten so bad 216 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: that there are all these calls to free football from 217 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: FIFA essentially, and there's going to be a class action 218 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 1: lawsuit against corruption in FIFA. There's going to be a 219 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: complaint to the FIFA Ethics Committee. I learned about this 220 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: on rebootfifa dot com, originally posted on Mussoa Kwanga's bluskai account. 221 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 1: But basically they're calling for the head of FIFA, Infentino, 222 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: to be investigated immediately. This was already in progress prior 223 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: to all of these egregious actions during this World Cup, 224 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: whether it's the removal of the red card or all 225 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: of these ridiculous refs. So the complaint sites the fact 226 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: that Infantino awarded this so called Peace Prize to Trump, 227 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: which was they claim a clear breach of FIFA's duty 228 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: of neutrality. So I'm reading off of the website here, 229 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: and then on top of that, all of the things 230 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: that have transpired since about how FIFA functions, all of 231 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:15,119 Speaker 1: that is being used as evidence to the ethics committee. 232 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: And basically they're saying, even if the Ethics Committee doesn't 233 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: do anything about the complaint, this will give them ammunition 234 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: to go after FIFA at the political level, and apparently 235 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: they're being supported to some degree by the Norwegian Football Association. 236 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: All the more reason to support Norway and our favorite 237 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: friendly giant Holland in this World Cup. Anyway, I've digressed. 238 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: My point for recording this is as therapy to process 239 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: what has transpired today and the disappointment that we felt. 240 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: And just like the coach, the Egyptian coach said in 241 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: the press conference after the game, there really is no 242 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: point in gathering people to come compete if you're not 243 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: going to do it fairly, and he says he's not 244 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: gonna watch anymore football games. I don't know if I 245 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: can commit to that. Morocco is still in the tournament, 246 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: but we really should do something about this absolutely ridiculous 247 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: and corrupt organization that is destroying this beautiful sport and 248 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: this moment for connection that the World Cup presents. I mean, 249 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: I've already done an episode about all of the different 250 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: ways that people have really used this World Cup to 251 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: make connections with others, and all these heartwarming moments that 252 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: have occurred around Palestine and around a lot of other things, 253 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: but the blatant bias and cheating that has occurred in 254 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: some of these games really poisons our experience of this 255 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: World Cup and our opportunity to cheer for the teams 256 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: that represent us. So that's all I have for today. 257 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take a few weeks, a few months, few 258 00:15:55,840 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: years to get over the fact that Egypt was unfairly eliminated. 259 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: I hope the Moroccans beat the French. I'll put that 260 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: out there. I don't care what anyone says, but given 261 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: what's happened, I don't know that anything will be fair 262 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: at this World Cup. But we move on. Thank you 263 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: all for listening to this rant, and we'll see you 264 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: next time. It Could Happen Here is a production of 265 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, 266 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: visit our website coolzonmedia dot com, or check us out 267 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 268 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: to podcasts. You can now find sources for It Could 269 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: Happen here listed directly in episode descriptions. Thanks for listening.