Advantage: Politics In Sport
I've had just about as much as I can handle regarding the will they - won't they saga regarding the Indonesian Fed Cup team and their supposed upcoming tie in Israel.
They were coming, then they weren't, then they were and now they're not.
There have always been issues with Israel and sport. Logically they should be in Asia but if that was the case they would never play anyone due to boycotts. Israel used to participate in the Asian Games but not anymore. Israel used to qualify for the World Cup through Asia but not anymore. You know who know does both? That's right - Palestine.
Instead of using sport as a political pawn and it being part of the problem, these boneheads should try to use sport as part of solution.
The only losers in this situation are the athletes themselves. Such as Arash Miresmaeili who was the favorite for the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Judo but forfeited because he was drawn to face an Israeli in the first round. Although he was applauded back home and praised like "although did not get a gold medal, he earned eternal honor by his refusal" you can be assured that he wasn't too happy about the whole situation.
If these guys really wanted some propaganda material they would play Israel every chance they could. In the hope they would defeat the imperialistic Zionist state at tennis, basketball, judo, soccer or whatever else it was. Then they would really have something to shout about.
Although how anyone can cheer on a team whose colours are green, red, black and white is beyond me.
They were coming, then they weren't, then they were and now they're not.
There have always been issues with Israel and sport. Logically they should be in Asia but if that was the case they would never play anyone due to boycotts. Israel used to participate in the Asian Games but not anymore. Israel used to qualify for the World Cup through Asia but not anymore. You know who know does both? That's right - Palestine.
Instead of using sport as a political pawn and it being part of the problem, these boneheads should try to use sport as part of solution.
The only losers in this situation are the athletes themselves. Such as Arash Miresmaeili who was the favorite for the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Judo but forfeited because he was drawn to face an Israeli in the first round. Although he was applauded back home and praised like "although did not get a gold medal, he earned eternal honor by his refusal" you can be assured that he wasn't too happy about the whole situation.
If these guys really wanted some propaganda material they would play Israel every chance they could. In the hope they would defeat the imperialistic Zionist state at tennis, basketball, judo, soccer or whatever else it was. Then they would really have something to shout about.
Although how anyone can cheer on a team whose colours are green, red, black and white is beyond me.
posted by Dot Co Dot Il at 10:24 AM
4 Comments:
I find it shocking that the "world" allows for this state of affairs. Sportsmanship is half the game. You don't want to play with US? Fine forfeit, and then again. Don't give these countries the choice. This isn't the grade school recess yard. We shouldn't have to switch schools cause of some nasty bullies. Punish the aggressor. Let them sit on the sidelines. Like all bullies, they'll eventually give in.
it really is pathetic.. the whole point of these world cups and international competitions is to bring countries together, and they completely defeat the purpose with this behavior.. and youre right, im sure the actual athletes arent too happy about it, if they wanted to sacrifice their life dreams to bicker over politics, they'd spend their days in the parliament houses, not the gyms!
"Although how anyone can cheer on a team whose colours are green, red, black and white is beyond me."
Reminds me of that frog-in-a-blender joke...
And I agree with you 100%- the whole thing is ridiculous, and I'm sure those players, like the Iranian judoka you mentioned, are majorly p.o.'ed- but they don't dare say so in public!
Yeah, the combination of the colours is soooo garish.
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