Don't cry for me Inglaterra

There's no place for politics in sport, right?

Well, good luck with that one, especially where obscene amounts of money meets global TV coverage, as with (a random example off the top of my head) the FIFA World Cup™. Things got off to a good start when FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, presented Donald Trump with the specially-invented FIFA Peace Prize to mollify the US President for being snubbed over the Nobel version. It was all downhill from there, with Trump's successful intervention to secure the withdrawal of the red card - and thus one-match suspension - awarded against US player, Falorin Balogun, allowing him to play in the subsequent match against Belgium. 

There was widespread schadenfreude when the US lost that match 4-1 but now the controversy has moved on to the actions of some Argentinian players after their victory over England in last night's match, when Lisandro Martinez and Giovanni Lo Celso were among those holding up a sheet bearing the words Las Malvinas son Argentinas (the Falklands are Argentine). Reacting to these unedifying scenes, UK business secretary, Peter Kyle, called the images "entirely inappropriate". He went on to say, “Politics should stay away from football. That is a very clear principle of the World Cup, but any consequences that come from that is now a decision for FIFA.” So, we won't be holding our breath for that, Mr Kyle, but nice try, anyway. 

It was inevitable that emotions would run high in this particular fixture. To describe it as a grudge match would be to trivialise matters when the cause, the 'Falklands War' following Argentina's invasion of the British Overseas Territory in 1982, resulted in the deaths of 649 Argentine personnel, 255 British personnel, and three island civilians. But it is clearly a political issue and one which, after forty-four years, remains unresolved. The islanders themselves consider the matter settled after their sovereignty referendum in 2013 saw 99.8% of those casting a vote (on a 90% turnout) electing to remain British. Clearly Argentinians have a different opinion but, to my mind, a football pitch is not the right place to express it.

After all, if this were to become acceptable practice, almost every international (and even home) match England plays would descend into unseemly protest over some historic 'injustice' perpetrated by the country in its centuries-long struggle for global hegemony. Matches against Spain, France and the USA (to name but three) could result in a chaotic free-for-all over battles won and lost in pursuit of an empire. 

Perhaps the passage of time heals old wounds, and forty-four years still feels quite recent. However, painful negotiation also played its part in reaching a resolution to old enmities and the opening of the 118 year-old border crossing between Spain and Gibraltar (yesterday, coincidentally) is testimony to the truth that where there's a will for concord a way can be found to achieve it. I would respectfully suggest that the Argentine government of President Javier Milei stop playing grubby domestic politics with the issue. The 30,000 Argentinians killed or 'disappeared' during the notorious 'Dirty War', presided over by General Leopoldo Galtieri until his Falklands defeat, deserve better.

Pursue diplomacy and leave football out of it.

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