12.06.2002

Reclaim the game

For football fans the world over this month is dominated by what is, arguably, the most prestigious event in the sporting calendar, the World Cup. Billions of people across the globe watched some part of the last World Cup, hosted by France in 1998, and this time around the figure will certainly be as high, if not higher. And it is easy to see why. Slightly over a week old at the time of writing, the tournament has already produced some spectacular goals, upsets and memorable moments. Behind the drama and the passion, however, lies a very different side to football. Much has already been written about the phenomenal amount of money pouring into the game. Taken as a global 'industry', football's worth is estimated at somewhere around £150 billion. A significant proportion of the game's income, at both a club and national level, comes from advertising and television rights. Sponsorship deals - paid out for the privilege of advertising that will reach a vast number of potential customers - run into the billions. An arrangement with a single 'official sponsor' of the World Cup can be worth as much as $45 million. Television rights cost a cool $1.7 billion. This wealth is affording the corrupt and self-serving elite that governs football with an ideal opportunity to line their own pockets. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa), football's governing body, has recently been wracked by scandal. Sepp Blatter's re-election to the presidency was conveniently buried beneath the avalanche of publicity surrounding the then imminent big kick-off. His first period of office was dominated by allegations that he bribed African referee Lucien Bouchardeau to smear rivals. It is votes from some of the poorest countries in world football that have secured Blatter's power, votes which are allegedly purchased by way of sweeteners in the form of grants from so-called 'grassroots' projects like Goal. However, there is another aspect of the game, arguably more important for our rulers than football's money-making capacity, and that is its ideological incorporation into a nationalist agenda. Sport has long been used to cement national unity and weaken class-consciousness. Soccer, as the world's most popular sport, and one with the greatest following amongst the masses, is central to this. For example, Italy's victory in the World Cup of 1938 saw the team hailed by Mussolini as "soldiers in the service of the national cause". Countless other examples of a similar kind could be cited from this year's competition, especially where England is concerned. England's opening game in its World Cup campaign against Sweden coincided with the climax of the golden jubilee celebrations - a happy coincidence for the ruling class. Association between the two events was actively encouraged by the mainstream press, the England camp itself and jubilee event organisers. Video screens put up to broadcast the concerts held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace to those outside were turned over to the England game during the Sunday morning. On top of that, the Archbishop of Canterbury gave permission for the start of the special church services planned for that day to be delayed - clearly god is of lesser importance to the nationalist cause than football. After the match one could only feel sorry for Sven-Goran Eriksson, England's Swedish coach, who was asked by Radio Five Live's reporter on June 3 if he had any message to send to the celebrating monarch. His truly cringe-worthy "congratulations" were followed by a Churchillian message of hope to a nation that "never gives up". Captain and number one hero David Beckham confessed that following on from his injury he had received goodwill messages "from family and friends up to the queen" and directly addressed "ma'am" in his jubilee day television interview. Sven-Goran Eriksson's message obviously had some effect. England's lacklustre performance against Sweden was more than superseded by their defeat of Argentina on the following Friday. Predictably a wave of nationalist fervour swept the country and various luminaries were quick to reflectively bask in England's success - the queen was "pleased" and much was made of Tony Blair clearing his schedule to watch the match at Chequers. The Socialist Alliances manifesto, People before profit, calls for the democratisation of all sport, football included. This World Cup has, once again, highlighted the urgent need for that programme to be implemented. It needs to taken out of the hands of the capitalists and ideologues and placed under the control of those who play, watch and enjoy it. Mike Speed