Politics out of soccer

NHL Dude 120

Registered User
Jun 18, 2011
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Ottawa
Just wondering why doesn't FIFA do something about nations refusing to play each other, for example it's stupid that Armenia and Azerbaijan won't play each other. What would happen, Turkey and Armenia have played each other before so why can't Azerbaijan and Armenia stop acting like brats and play each other.
 

worstfaceoffmanever

These Snacks Are Odd
Jun 2, 2007
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Just wondering why doesn't FIFA do something about nations refusing to play each other, for example it's stupid that Armenia and Azerbaijan won't play each other. What would happen, Turkey and Armenia have played each other before so why can't Azerbaijan and Armenia stop acting like brats and play each other.

The same reason Israel and Iran don't play, or India and Pakistan; it's inviting trouble. The last thing anybody at any level of the sport wants is to create a target that terrorists could use to "send a message."
 

Ivan94

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Jun 1, 2013
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Germany
Just wondering why doesn't FIFA do something about nations refusing to play each other, for example it's stupid that Armenia and Azerbaijan won't play each other. What would happen, Turkey and Armenia have played each other before so why can't Azerbaijan and Armenia stop acting like brats and play each other.

Dortmund played against Gabala FK in Europa League. Mkhitaryan wasn't allowed to enter Azerbaijan. They are far away from playing each other.
 

PeteWorrell

[...]
Aug 31, 2006
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We already have trouble with the likes of Crotians and Russians fans.I can't imagine what kind of powder keg we would be lighting by allowing games between those countries.
 

mmk786

Registered User
Mar 3, 2004
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The same reason Israel and Iran don't play, or India and Pakistan; it's inviting trouble. The last thing anybody at any level of the sport wants is to create a target that terrorists could use to "send a message."
India and Pakistan do play each other. However, I agree with your overall point. Cant imagine the shenanigans involved in a match between Israel and Palestine.
 

NHL Dude 120

Registered User
Jun 18, 2011
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705
Ottawa
Then Increase security, nations should be punished for such transgressions. What if Iran and Israel qualified for the world cup would they play each other??
 

Live in the Now

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Dec 17, 2005
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Even if they were supposed to play together, Iran would quit the World Cup first.

Politics are an inherent part of sports and society, you can't remove them.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
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Then Increase security, nations should be punished for such transgressions. What if Iran and Israel qualified for the world cup would they play each other??

FIFA would keep them apart in the group stage for sure.

Besides, a WC match would be played on neutral ground. Armenia visiting Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan visiting Armenia? Just not viable at this point.
 

Shrimper

Trick or ruddy treat
Feb 20, 2010
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FIFA would keep them apart in the group stage for sure.

Besides, a WC match would be played on neutral ground. Armenia visiting Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan visiting Armenia? Just not viable at this point.

Israel have played Iran before in Iran though. 1968 Asian Cup. Iran won.
 

Jersey Fresh

Video Et Taceo
Feb 23, 2004
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Israel have played Iran before in Iran though. 1968 Asian Cup. Iran won.

And? Iran would never play them now. They'd pull themselves out of the tournament like LITN said or at the very least forfeit the match.

Algeria just canceled a friendly with Ghana because Avram Grant manages them...
 

Shrimper

Trick or ruddy treat
Feb 20, 2010
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And? Iran would never play them now. They'd pull themselves out of the tournament like LITN said.

Algeria just canceled a friendly with Ghana because Avram Grant manages them...

I know, but I'm just pointing out that is has happened before.
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
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You can't take the politics out of football. It's why this is more than a sport. It's why thousands of Union Berlin fans used their vacation days to volunteer their labor when rebuilding our stadium. It's why we gather by tens of thousands to sing carols together ever year. And it's stood up beautifully in our country against bigotry & xenophobia recently both with the Syrian refugee crisis & the "neighbor like Boateng" incident.

The political side of this sport can be incredibly ugly; but it's also at the heart of some of the most beautiful accomplishments this game has achieved. To divorce one from the other would just neuter the game and push it closer to the over-marketted and heartless sports-entertainment of NA.
 

ProPAIN

I am the DANGER!
Nov 3, 2009
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Paris
The same reason Israel and Iran don't play, or India and Pakistan; it's inviting trouble. The last thing anybody at any level of the sport wants is to create a target that terrorists could use to "send a message."

They play each other in hockey and cricket so many times and it's a huge rivalry. And politics is never an issue.
 

TheMoreYouKnow

Registered User
May 3, 2007
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Soccer's depth of roots in communities means it will always be political. Patriotism and nationalism play a big role in international football. Most rivalries in international football are based on historical beef between the involved countries.

And the presence of nationalist and communist groups in the communities in which the majority of football fans live will find an expression in the game and how it is supported. That's just a part of football not following the entertainment/consumer model that's typical of American pro sports.
 

jniklast

Registered User
Sep 28, 2007
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Is it any different in other sports? Soccer simply is played by every country in the world and thus these problems surface.
 

jniklast

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Sep 28, 2007
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Can you name Hockey, american football, or basketball clubs like Union Berlin, St Pauli, or Bilbao?

I can't, but look at the former Soviet clubs in hockey for example, that was political. And I'm sure there are a few political interests in basketball in South Eastern Europe. The most popular sport is also the most popular sport for any politics.
 

cgf

FireBednarsSuccessor
Oct 15, 2010
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I can't, but look at the former Soviet clubs in hockey for example, that was political. And I'm sure there are a few political interests in basketball in South Eastern Europe. The most popular sport is also the most popular sport for any politics.

Good point about the soviet era clubs in all sports; but I was thinking more about sports today.
 

LOFIN

Registered User
Sep 16, 2011
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Can you name Hockey, american football, or basketball clubs like Union Berlin, St Pauli, or Bilbao?

Many sports clubs in Europe were found on some political idea back in the day, but have obviously lost that reputation as the population has grown more homogeneous. Different social economical status was a big difference maker back in the day for one. There are many clubs that have been founded as "working class" for an example. Many clubs in Finland still bear the word "comrades" or "workers club" in their name, although the working class has quite a different meaning these days. Also many clubs in Finland were part of (well, technically not part of as they were independent but had similar name) to the IFK-sport society from Sweden. For and example IFK Helsingfors was almost exclusively a club for the Swedish speaking population of Helsinki, but now days the majority of it's fans are Finnish speaking. My club, TPS Turku was found as football club for the Finnish speaking people to counter the Swedish speaking Ã…bo IFK.

The founding idea with most Soviet clubs was different workers unions as I've understood. Obviously now days you don't have to be railroad worker to support Lokomotiv, or soldier to support the different SKA's and CSKA. I think the heritage of these clubs is interesting, although it doesn't always show as it did in the past.
 

Corto

Faceless Man
Sep 28, 2005
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We already have trouble with the likes of Crotians and Russians fans.I can't imagine what kind of powder keg we would be lighting by allowing games between those countries.

To be clear on this, the main problem with Croatian fans is the vast majority of them are unhappy/mad with the mob that currently runs our FA and Dinamo Zagreb.
They are not fighting in the streets like the Russians etc., their main "enemy" is the Croatian FA.

(and to be clear, the Croatian FA are a positively disgusting bunch of human beings - though the fans are going about it the wrong way - but what other way is there when the government never does anything...)
 

Eisen

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Sep 30, 2009
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To be clear on this, the main problem with Croatian fans is the vast majority of them are unhappy/mad with the mob that currently runs our FA and Dinamo Zagreb.
They are not fighting in the streets like the Russians etc., their main "enemy" is the Croatian FA.

(and to be clear, the Croatian FA are a positively disgusting bunch of human beings - though the fans are going about it the wrong way - but what other way is there when the government never does anything...)

Staying at home for instance.
 

maclean

Registered User
Jan 4, 2014
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Is it any different in other sports? Soccer simply is played by every country in the world and thus these problems surface.

Sport in general is a kind of stand-in for fighting. Soccer is the sport every kid plays, the sport where young boys in particular find an outlet for their energy and aggression. They play it spontaneously with other boys from their neighbourhood and play it against the Other - different neighbourhood, different town, different group of friends. Soccer is the shared battleground for their tribalism and it also teaches them its ways. Club (/fan group within club!), city, region, nation. No other sport can come close to it in this, and yes this is largely given by its universal nature.

You mentioned hockey in Russia or basketball in SE Europe. I can't guarantee it, but I would say no, even here football is King. The star power, the international tournament power, none of this can be underestimated. No basketball or hockey player can hold a candle to the star power of international football stars and the only places this isn't true is the US, Canada, then also parts of Asia
 

Corto

Faceless Man
Sep 28, 2005
15,991
942
Braavos
The difference is ownership of the sport. That's like having someone breaking into your home and the solution being to go live in the forest.

Think he means staying at home as in boycotting the games.

Which unfortunately, doesn't work... Noone goes to football games here anymore, there are literally (I'm not making this up) hundreds of people at first division games, including those (or especially those) of the biggest club, Dinamo Zagreb.
Noone else is allowed to win, the refs are pushing them in case they falter, and people are frustrated after 10+ years of this crap.

Here's an example of Croatian league refereeing, so maybe you get a better insight into why people are furious with the current FA and Dinamo leadership.
You don't have to watch the whole thing, just check out the first example (the guys in yellow were ahead 1-0, Dinamo is in blue shirts, an absolutely disgraceful decision - with intent 100% IMO - gets Dinamo a penalty and a red card to the other team).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JJWhp2a7M0


I don't know how to explain this in short, so I'll just ask you to believe me and the other Croatian boys can confirm...
The level of corruption in Croatian football is sky high, the person in charge of Dinamo and the FA is friends with judges and inspectors, make birthday parties for our president...
It's like something from a bad 1980s movie about Romania and Causescu.
 
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