https://arab.news/4tzmz
Football is a truly global game that has brought many positive political benefits to diplomatic actors, either by hosting mega-events such as the World Cup or the Asian Cup or through deals with famous clubs.
In their paper “The Globalization of Football,” Richard Giulianotti and Roland Robertson suggest that, if profitability were prioritized, football’s governing bodies could be seen in the same light as FIFA’s “Swiss neighbor, the World Trade Organization.” Meanwhile, Stuart Murray and Geoffrey Alan Pigman believe that FIFA and the International Olympic Committee might be able to learn from other nonstate actors such as the World Trade Organization as to how to engage as a diplomatic actor.
Football’s diplomatic actors can be any well-recognized individuals, such as players or managers, who want to make noticeable contributions toward world diplomacy.
The recent resonance of the incident at a news conference given by Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, when he paid attention to the number of tragedies in the world, demonstrates this. He stressed that “protecting the human being and human life is the only thing we have, not just in these parts of the world but every part of the world. We can reach the moon, we can do everything. But still right now, we kill each other, for what? For what?” He added: “When I see the images, I am sorry it hurts. That is why in every position I can help speak up to be a better society, I will try and will be there.”
