Football’s Unavoidable Entanglement In Politics

Is Football Becoming Too Politicised?

H. R. Richards

A POINT OF CONTENTION THAT FOOTBALL often finds itself faced with, is whether it should be apolitical or not.

Football, like many other forms of mainstream entertainment, has long been an escape from our hyper-politicsied society: a medium in which people from all over the world and from all different cultures can partake in and enjoy. But naturally, this ubiquity means that football often finds itself entangled in society’s conflicts. And when it does so, it is often compelled to respond. For where there is a platform, there is an expectation that it be used to speak out. The bigger the league, the club or the player, the greater they are compelled to do so.

Here, we reach said point of contention: Players and organisations are pressured to speak up about injustice, yet by doing so, they politicise football which is something intrinsically apolitical. In turn, this threatens the distinctly unifying nature of football that makes it as special as it is. However, because institutions like the Premier League or clubs like Liverpool are as big and influential as they are, this means that they have the capacity to bring a spotlight to injustice and, therefore, initiate change for the better. This leaves us with the question of whether politicising sport and football specifically is for the better or the worse.

In October of 2023, the Premier League issued guidance to its clubs advising them to prohibit Israel and Palestine flags at games. The rationale behind this decision is understandable, given the contentiousness of the subject. However, at the time, this led many to point to the Premier League’s widespread support of Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion a year prior, where Ukraine flags weren’t just allowed but encouraged inside stadiums. And while these are two very different conflicts, and thus, I can appreciate why they were treated differently, I still think it raises concern. 

First, in regards to the intent of the Premier League. Did they respond to such conflicts in the manner they did to merely position themselves on the ‘right’ side of politics, or are they genuinely interested in fighting injustice? 

Second, such inconsistency dangerously implies that certain causes are worth fighting for more than others. The Premier League’s non-involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict has led many to perceive the body as not having taken a firm enough stand against what is happening in Gaza and, thus, ultimately not supporting Palestine. In this sense, this shows not just the inevitability of sports and the institutions therein becoming entangled in society’s conflicts, but also the issue of picking a side in them.

Racism is another social issue that intersects with football. Unfortunately, because of how rampant it runs across football, institutions and players are required to take action against it. When it comes to racism, this idea of ‘no response’ indeed constitutes a response that shows that racist behaviour is acceptable and, therefore, does nothing to prevent its continued existence. For instance, La Liga’s inaction against the racism experienced by players such as Vinicius Jr has led many to rightly question the integrity of the organisation. After receiving racial slurs in Madrid’s loss to Valencia last year, Vinicius later tweeted that “it was not the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition considers it normal, the federation considers it normal, and the rivals encourage it.” Carlo Ancelotti (Madrid’s manager) also spoke out about the incident, saying that “it is time to stop talking and act forcefully.” 

I think this highlights La Liga’s worrying inaction because, without consequences for this type of behaviour, racism will continue indefinitely. This again shows that sports are bound to intersect with politics and social issues, especially with football being as ubiquitous as it is, but it also emphasises the importance of responding in a righteous manner. 

Vinícius Júnior reacts to racist chants.