Infantino, Trump and the Quest for Peace: An Association Football Approach
'THIS-ISM … THAT-ISM …'
Following the Venezuelan opposition leader won the latest Nobel Peace Prize for her "dedicated efforts promoting political freedoms", Donald Trump responded with exactly the type of magnanimous response one might anticipate. Having tirelessly run a campaign of personal advancement to ensure he was the recipient, the president immediately took acknowledgment for the Venezuelan activist's triumph, listed his own personally declared and often dubious accomplishments in the area of international diplomacy and attacked the legitimacy of the awarding body who made the decision not to present the medal, cash prize and document to him.
Although protection considerations indicate it is still uncertain if the newly crowned award recipient will come forward from seclusion to collect her award personally at the Oslo ceremony in the final month, a particular overly deferential football association leader seems intent on stealing her thunder nonetheless. Indeed, Gianni Infantino has decided to present a recognition for harmony of his own creation in before a worldwide broadcast audience of numerous global soccer enthusiasts earlier that week in Washington.
A man who has for years promoted the importance of keeping politics separate from the sport, particularly when they're the sort of ideological stances he finds uncomfortable or just doesn't like, the organization's head employed his platform at the American corporate gathering in the Florida city to promote his agenda about the power of the beautiful game to bring together people of diverse ethnicities and faith, especially those who have a spare significant financial resources knocking around to purchase variable cost International Football Championship passes.
"Within a growingly uncertain and divided global community, it is fundamental to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of those who work hard to stop conflicts and unite individuals in a spirit of harmony", he declared. "The sport stands for peace and representing the complete sports family, the FIFA Harmony Award – Football Unites The World will honor the tremendous work of those individuals who connect communities, offering hope for tomorrow's world."
But who might he reference? Although Infantino was cautious not to offer clear signals concerning the person of the inaugural award's lucky recipient, he proceeded to move into an almost certainly unrelated and obsequious homage to his present Close Associate (Or For The Immediate Future), the US president. His words certainly had the intended outcome. Around the world, the most skeptical of observers were united in asserting they knew specifically who would be receiving the Pretend Peace Prize, with various people even advancing to state totally unsupported assertions that the judicially determined and sports rule-breaking man-baby in question might possibly compelled the FIFA head to invent the award merely to compensate for the leader's feeling of injustice at missing out on the authentic award.
As believable a circumstance as it appears, The Sports Publication begs to differ, particularly since in recent months the increasingly ridiculous football official has burrowed his way so far up Trump's digestive tract that it's quite possible this latest idea was actually his own idea.
And even though it's reasonable to suppose it stays outside Infantino's constrained creativity to throw the most unexpected development by presenting Fifa's first (and potentially concluding) harmony award to Greta Thunberg, Volodymyr Zelenskyy or that member of Atalanta's coaching staff who intervened between Ademola Lookman and the coach to prevent an unedifying important competition touchline flare-up, one might desire Reece James and his football associates are requested to participate to Washington wearing uniforms to execute a retaliatory takeover of Trump's presentation ceremony.
The gilded questionable trophy, or whatever other similarly tasteful ornament Infantino decides to give the American president for his services to international unity and cooperation, would more than make up for the victory honor he infamously palmed and kept during the international club championship presentation ceremony.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
"An individual who worked considerably with entertainment icons informed me that the time that they become renown is the stage they remain for all their future years. I considered: 'That doesn't promise favorably for me.' I became in the public eye at 16 and thrust facing journalists. You mature, you become a parent, but you're still a soccer player. Subsequently, abruptly, it stops but your complete self-image is still wrapped up in the game" – the former footballer is on good form in this cracking conversation.
