Wednesday, July 27, 2011

THIS SPORTING LIFE

Most dictionaries would probably give the definition of the word sport as something along the lines of "pleasant pastime, amusement, diversion", but inside capitalism it has become anything but pleasant. "Mohamed bin Hammam was last night banned for life from all football activity by Fifa's ethics committee. Then, in a moment of high drama as the committee's chairman, Petrus Damaseb, exited stage left, legal counsel for the Qatari immediately took to the stage to accuse an unnamed "senior Fifa official" of "lies". Bin Hammam will appeal against the decision of the five-man committee after it found him guilty of seven counts of misconduct including bribery." (Observer, 24 July) Modern capitalism with its all important cash nexus has turned sport into "a lucrative diversion for accountants and lawyers". RD

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