The Sportswashing mega thread.

[Bostonian]

Whether they should be allowed to own a club in the premier league is irrelevant, they do own one.

And unless the law has changed since I last looked, there is no death penalty in the UK, Saudi Arabia has no legal authority, and they have shown no inclination to punish people that speak negatively about the football club.

The implications for football and football clubs are zero. It's one of your more ridiculous ideas, and really nothing to do with football or this message board.

Sportswashing at its finest.

 

[moomba]

Sportswashing at its finest.

Suggestion that the Saudis wont be executing Newcastle players and staff for negative commentary about the club is sportwashing now?

I know some of you guys are desperate to prove sportwashing is a thing, but come on.

 

[Bostonian]

Suggestion that the Saudis wont be executing Newcastle players and staff for negative commentary about the club is sportwashing now?

I know some of you guys are desperate to prove sportwashing is a thing, but come on.

So If a bunch of Pedos buy a football club but only do their evil shit overseas and not at the football club then it's all good?

Seems like anything and everything is ok with you so long as they don't do it in the UK.

 

[moomba]

So If a bunch of Pedos buy a football club but only do their evil s**t overseas and not at the football club then it's all good?

Seems like anything and everything is ok with you so long as they don't do it in the UK.

That's a ****ing big stretch you've gone on there.

I've not once said an execution anywhere is acceptable, so I dont know why you're making out that I have.

The statement was made that Saudis actions in Saudi had consequences for Newcastle players and staff. It just doesn't, and saying so is just pointing out the obvious, not a defence of any country, person or club.

 

[Bostonian]

That's a ******* big stretch you've gone on there.

I've not once said an execution anywhere is acceptable, so I dont know why you're making out that I have.

The statement was made that Saudis actions in Saudi had consequences for Newcastle players and staff. It just doesn't, and saying so is just pointing out the obvious, not a defence of any country, person or club.

Well they had a person killed in another country.

So who knows what those scum are capable of if they get agitated enough by someone.

 

[moomba]

Well they had a person killed in another country.

So who knows what those scum are capable of if they get agitated enough by someone.

Without knowing the full circumstances, there is a fair difference between someone being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, and executing a player or staff member of a UK football team.

Again, without knowing circumstances you could argue that football probably doesn't rate all that highly on the Saudis list of security concerns that they would be looking to control.

 

[Bostonian]

Without knowing the full circumstances, there is a fair difference between someone being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, and executing a player or staff member of a UK football team.

Again, without knowing circumstances you could argue that football probably doesn't rate all that highly on the Saudis list of security concerns that they would be looking to control.

They had someone murdered and cut up into pieces in Turkey.

Not in Saudi Arabia.

Nobody is saying that will happen to a player, it's that these owners do it to other people all the time.

 

[moomba]

They had someone murdered and cut up into pieces in Turkey.

Not in Saudi Arabia.

Nobody is saying that will happen to a player, it's that these owners do it to other people all the time.

I don't think someone being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia has consequences for Newcastle players and staff. I dont even think someone murdered in Turkey has co sequences for Newcastle players and staf.

It seems that you do so we're just going to have to agree to disagree. Not really a sportwashing issue as you originally claimed just a disagreement on the consequences of a particular action.

Hope we can all move on with our lives.

 

[Bostonian]

I don't think someone being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia has consequences for Newcastle players and staff. I dont even think someone murdered in Turkey has co sequences for Newcastle players and staf.

It seems that you do so we're just going to have to agree to disagree. Not really a sportwashing issue as you originally claimed just a disagreement on the consequences of a particular action.

Hope we can all move on with our lives.

No we won't move on.

We'll keep talking about what ****ing trash some of these owners are and that they deserve no credit for anything.

Some people will accept the scum and do their sportswashers bidding, others never will.

 

[moomba]

No we won't move on.

We'll keep talking about what ******* trash some of these owners are and that they deserve no credit for anything.

Some people will accept the scum and do their sportswashers bidding, others never will.

Moving on with your life doesn't preclude you from posting about whatever you want (subject to BF rules etc etc).

I'll be doing the same.

 

[Zidane98]

You catch on fast.
Like a moth to a flame. Anyone talks about a oil run club and you're there as Captain America.

Imagine if the Qatar takeover at Utd goes through.

We'll have Moomba defending it vigorously under the pretense of "it's just a businessman spending his money like any other owner, sportswashing isn't a thing etc etc" with Bojan openly slamming the takeover for what it really actually is - sportswashing.

 

[moomba]

Imagine if the Qatar takeover8 at Utd goes through.

We'll have Moomba defending it vigorously under the pretense of "it's just a businessman spending his money like any other owner, sportswashing isn't a thing etc etc" with Bojan openly slamming the takeover for what it really actually is - sportswashing.

If Qatar takes over United I'll probably just focus on the football, as I've done since I started posting on BF.

The handwringing, the lies, the misrepresentations and the constant snide personal digs I'll leave for others to do as they see fit.

 

[Zidane98]

If Qatar takes over United I'll probably just focus on the football, as I've done since I started posting on BF.

The handwringing, the lies, the misrepresentations and the constant snide personal digs I'll leave for others to do as they see fit.

Good to see.


Not sure why mentioning your tendency to defend sportswashing ownerships irks you. You were one of the biggest proponents for the Saudis to buy Newcastle even when they failed the fit and proper persons test. There will be the same issue with Qatar buying Utd. HBJ even had to invoke diplomatic immunity once in the UK over a torture case:

Ex-PM of Qatar to invoke diplomatic immunity in UK torture case

Qatari agents acting on behalf of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani alleged to have falsely imprisoned British national Fawaz al-Attiya in Doha

www.theguardian.com

The dynamic would definitely be interesting in this thread with quite a few Utd fans against the Qataris buying them and your support of such ownership models.

Not sure who is "handwringing" you though. Strange one that.

 

[moomba]

Good to see.


Not sure why mentioning your tendency to defend sportswashing ownerships irks you. You were one of the biggest proponents for the Saudis to buy Newcastle even when they failed the fit and proper persons test. There will be the same issue with Qatar buying Utd. HBJ even had to invoke diplomatic immunity once in the UK over a torture case:

Ex-PM of Qatar to invoke diplomatic immunity in UK torture case

Qatari agents acting on behalf of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani alleged to have falsely imprisoned British national Fawaz al-Attiya in Doha

www.theguardian.com

The dynamic would definitely be interesting in this thread with quite a few Utd fans against the Qataris buying them and your support of such ownership models.

Not sure who is "handwringing" you though. Strange one that.

It doesn't irk me, it bores the hell out of me, the same three or four posters, the same dull jokes, snide digs and insults. Football discussions constantly turned into political discussions, or worse commentaries on me and my opinions.

What does irritate me is the dishonest nature of some of comments made.

Two in your last post. You say that I was one of the biggest proponents of the Saudis buying Newcastle. That's news to me as I have never expressed support for any prospective owner of Newcastle.

You then say that I support such ownership models, again news to me. It wouldn't have bothered me one bit if the Saudis were blocked from buying Newcastle.

But they weren't, so we all (well some of us) move on with our lives.

 

[RPCB]

In summary for those playing at home

Zizou



Moomba

 

[Bradesmaen]

If Qatar takes over United I'll probably just focus on the football, as I've done since I started posting on BF.

The handwringing, the lies, the misrepresentations and the constant snide personal digs I'll leave for others to do as they see fit.

You've been sportswashed so badly. The intent is to get you to focus on the football rather than what is going on with said countries.

 

[moomba]

You've been sportswashed so badly. The intent is to get you to focus on the football rather than what is going on with said countries.

I've heard more about what is going on in Saudi/UAE in the past few years than I ever knew.

If that's the intention of sportswashing, it's failed miserably. If anything it's raised the spotlight on these countries. Barely a day goes by where I don't read about the evils of Saudi in this message board.

For me, what is going on in Saudi is a Saudi issue, if I want to talk about it I'll go onto a politics, human rights or sociology message board. I'll criticise Saudi for their actions not Newcastle, or their supporters.

Obviously there is some relevance to Newcastle or City, but to me it seems some see this as more a football issue than an issue with the countries itself.

And again, it seems to me that the purpose of a lot of the discussion on Saudi/UAE is to criticise fans of football clubs, or often me rather than focus on the people responsible for wrongdoing in the world.

 

[Bradesmaen]

I've heard more about what is going on in Saudi/UAE in the past few years than I ever knew.

If that's the intention of sportswashing, it's failed miserably. If anything it's raised the spotlight on these countries. Barely a day goes by where I don't read about the evils of Saudi in this message board.

For me, what is going on in Saudi is a Saudi issue, if I want to talk about it I'll go onto a politics, human rights or sociology message board. I'll criticise Saudi for their actions not Newcastle, or their supporters.

Obviously there is some relevance to Newcastle or City, but to me it seems some see this as more a football issue than an issue with the countries itself.

And again, it seems to me that the purpose of a lot of the discussion on Saudi/UAE is to criticise fans of football clubs, or often me rather than focus on the people responsible for wrongdoing in the world.

Your severe lack of understanding on Sportwashing is not helping your cause at all. You're doing their work for them.

 

[moomba]

Your severe lack of understanding on Sportwashing is not helping your cause at all. You're doing their work for them.

It's not a misunderstanding of sportwashing, I know exactly what you think it's all about. I just don't agree with your perspective.

As I said before, if buying Newcastle was a guise to get people to forget about what they're doing it's been a spectacular failure. They face far more exposure and criticism now than they did before the takeover.


As for my "cause", its just wanting to discuss football on a football forum. As for doing their work for them, that just weird.

But once again, focus on me rather than the Saudis, it happens a lot on here. I suspect that in three or four BF posters eyes being critical of me is far more important than criticising the Saudis.

 

[Zidane98]

It's not a misunderstanding of sportwashing, I know exactly what you think it's all about. I just don't agree with your perspective.

As I said before, if buying Newcastle was a guise to get people to forget about what they're doing it's been a spectacular failure. They face far more exposure and criticism now than they did before the takeover.


As for my "cause", its just wanting to discuss football on a football forum. As for doing their work for them, that just weird.

But once again, focus on me rather than the Saudis, it happens a lot on here. I suspect that in three or four BF posters eyes being critical of me is far more important than criticising the Saudis.

You're beginning to sound much like the recent Jordan Henderson interview.

There's a reason where states funded by oil & run by absolute monarchs with an appalling human rights record are buying clubs.

There's a reason the Saudi government is wasting billions on possibly the most unsustainable sports competition in the world.

It's not to make money. The answers pretty obvious to all but fans of those clubs.

 

[Bradesmaen]

It's not a misunderstanding of sportwashing, I know exactly what you think it's all about. I just don't agree with your perspective.

As I said before, if buying Newcastle was a guise to get people to forget about what they're doing it's been a spectacular failure. They face far more exposure and criticism now than they did before the takeover.


As for my "cause", its just wanting to discuss football on a football forum. As for doing their work for them, that just weird.

But once again, focus on me rather than the Saudis, it happens a lot on here. I suspect that in three or four BF posters eyes being critical of me is far more important than criticising the Saudis.

You are literally saying "It's shone a spotlight, but lets not focus on that, let that be others. Lets focus on the football". Meanwhile Newcastle fans are normalising Saudi behaviours. Same with City fans normalising UAE behaviours. That is being brainwashed by the sportswashers.

 

[moomba]

You're beginning to sound much like the recent Jordan Henderson interview.

What a weird thing to say

There's a reason where states funded by oil & run by absolute monarchs with an appalling human rights record are buying clubs.

There's a reason the Saudi government is wasting billions on possibly the most unsustainable sports competition in the world.

It's not to make money. The answers pretty obvious to all but fans of those clubs.

Is it working? How often did you post about Saudi Arabia on BF before they bought Newcastle?

 

[moomba]

You are literally saying "It's shone a spotlight, but lets not focus on that, let that be others. Lets focus on the football". Meanwhile Newcastle fans are normalising Saudi behaviours. Same with City fans normalising UAE behaviours. That is being brainwashed by the sportswashers.

Some are only interested in shining a spotlight on Newcastle fans, City fans, me. Its more football tribalism than shining a spotlight on any particular country.

The vast majority of City fans and Newcastle fans are no different to supporters of any other club.

I've been going to City for over 30 years at two different home grounds. We don't spend our pre match drinks talking about politics, or Abu Dhabi. We talk about formations a d selections and injuries.

You might get the odd person on football forums or twitter that strays into politics in the middle East but they would be outnumbered 100 to 1 by those that have an opposing view. This small minority do not represent any supporter base.

So if you want to shine a spotlight on Saudi Arabia, be my guest. Not sure why you choose a football forum to do so, maybe consider some of the politics forums on BF. Surely the reach for informed discussion is greater there.

But if you want to shine a spotlight on Newcastle supporters, City supporters or myself then I feel obliged to set you straight. As someone that has been going to City for decades, as someone that knows a number of Newcastle supporters and has regularly gone up to Newcastle to games I can tell you now that your perception of 99% of them is totally wrong.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Some are only interested in shining a spotlight on Newcastle fans, City fans, me. Its more football tribalism than shining a spotlight on any particular country.

The vast majority of City fans and Newcastle fans are no different to supporters of any other club.

I've been going to City for over 30 years at two different home grounds. We don't spend our pre match drinks talking about politics, or Abu Dhabi. We talk about formations a d selections and injuries.

You might get the odd person on football forums or twitter that strays into politics in the middle East but they would be outnumbered 100 to 1 by those that have an opposing view. This small minority do not represent any supporter base.

So if you want to shine a spotlight on Saudi Arabia, be my guest. Not sure why you choose a football forum to do so, maybe consider some of the politics forums on BF. Surely the reach for informed discussion is greater there.

But if you want to shine a spotlight on Newcastle supporters, City supporters or myself then I feel obliged to set you straight. As someone that has been going to City for decades, as someone that knows a number of Newcastle supporters and has regularly gone up to Newcastle to games I can tell you now that your perception of 99% of them is totally wrong.

Sportswashed.

 

[Zidane98]

What a weird thing to say



Is it working? How often did you post about Saudi Arabia on BF before they bought Newcastle?

Yes it is working. There's far more talk about the Saudi Pro League and its transfer spending than Saudi's horrific human rights record. Newcastle fans wave Saudi flags around. Newcastle fans defend Saudi Arabia.

Some are only interested in shining a spotlight on Newcastle fans, City fans, me. Its more football tribalism than shining a spotlight on any particular country.

The vast majority of City fans and Newcastle fans are no different to supporters of any other club.

I've been going to City for over 30 years at two different home grounds. We don't spend our pre match drinks talking about politics, or Abu Dhabi. We talk about formations a d selections and injuries.

You might get the odd person on football forums or twitter that strays into politics in the middle East but they would be outnumbered 100 to 1 by those that have an opposing view. This small minority do not represent any supporter base.

So if you want to shine a spotlight on Saudi Arabia, be my guest. Not sure why you choose a football forum to do so, maybe consider some of the politics forums on BF. Surely the reach for informed discussion is greater there.

But if you want to shine a spotlight on Newcastle supporters, City supporters or myself then I feel obliged to set you straight. As someone that has been going to City for decades, as someone that knows a number of Newcastle supporters and has regularly gone up to Newcastle to games I can tell you now that your perception of 99% of them is totally wrong.

City & Newcastle fans can be good fans & sportswashed at the same time. The two are not mutually exclusive. You seem like a pretty good bloke. I have a Manc on my team who's a big City supporter. He's a good bloke also. Newcastle have always had a pretty good fan base. Nobody is saying otherwise.

The two supporter bases do have sportswashing in common, of that there can be no doubt. Both fan bases attempt to pain their ownership as no different to any other club, to just an owner "spending their own money".

That simply isn't reality. As said previously there's a reason that royal familes of absolute monarch ruled states with appalling human rights records are buying football clubs. I can give you a hint - the reason isn't for making money. That is why what these states are doing is intrinsically linked to football discussions. Fans of sportswashed clubs want to accept the riches and spoils of being funded by a state need to accept the criticisms that go along with it.