When Germany transforms a rite into a revolution, football jumps. For the second time in the World Cup, a national team is silent and making a lot of noise: the Iranians have boycotted their own anthem against the regime and the Germans have shut their mouths against censorship. A scream from the imposed silence.
Team choices and for this reason strong, but that of Germany is shared and supported by the government. Fifa blocked the rainbow support on the One Love armband: seven European captains had to wear it and instead of the permit, a ban arrived, according to the regulation. Trying to force it, together, indeed adding other teams to the list, would have forced Fifa to choose, would have forced it to expose itself, but between total surrender in the face of the threat of a yellow card and the invention of a sanction-proof gesture, c ‘is the space to believe that football is changing.
Germany met the day before the debut with Japan, they wanted a common position, the federation met with lawyers and politicians and it is no coincidence that the vice-chancellor Robert Habeck, already in the morning, reopened the rainbow discussion: «If I were Neuer, I would wear that armband, but I can only say that this is the moment to demonstrate». He already knew it would happen and the armband was seen at the stadium, on the arm of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser who showed it off alongside FIFA president Infantino. We are beyond provocation, this is a statement. Of love of course.
The protest was not even really silent, because a moment after the shot with his hands over his mouth came the words of the federation: “It is not a political act, human rights are not negotiable, they should be obvious”. As if to say: we are not happy to be here and it is an insult to think that the defeat of the debut depends on the weight of the choice. Coach Hansi Flick also has to clarify it: «But what excuse would that be? And what does it have to do with it?».
The tweet of a Doha journalist goes around the world: “Do you see what happens when you don’t focus on the game?”. The front against front is evident, Germany continues to carry the message that she wore among the first, just after Norway when Europe began to show aversion to Qatar’s discrimination.
Four years ago in Russia there was the same hateful law that prevents gays from appearing gay in public and there were far fewer reactions, but it’s not Eurocentrism (which exists on many issues), it’s just immaturity. In 2018, the balloon was not ready to take responsibility, it believed itself on another planet. There have been controversies, of course, but never arrived on the field, at least until the Pussy Riot have not invaded. This time the denied rights are inside the kicks and Fifa has played the rules and taxes card without defusing the opposition.
It has never happened before, Qatar complains about the treatment precisely because it experiences it as fierceness, but the German federation explained it very well: freedom of expression is not negotiable. Not even in exchange for stadiums equipped with unbearable air conditioning. Who knows what Italy would have done if it had been here, another reason to regret the absence.
At the European Championships she was divided on the possibility of kneeling and then she backed down worried by the judgements. Perhaps today even the Azzurri would have more experience in dealing with essential subjects. In Italy, however, nothing was seen during the match, the international directors avoided framing the group photo and Rai lacked the images. However, other TV stations have chosen to support the cause, the militant BBC (slapped by its voice of honor Lineker, because they haven’t been so decisive in Russia) and the coherent ZDF which from the first second mixes commentary and activism with an excellent dose.
It will go on like this, having the bands clearly visible would have been better, but banning them has amplified the problem and the need not to give the idea of accepting the ban. Wales has put up the rainbow flags at the training ground, Denmark will abstain from voting for Infantino in the next elections and the seven national teams deprived of the heart One Love are meditating a collective case, not in the Sports Court, “it’s not the right place” he says Holland which then confirmed the intention. Sooner or later that band will pop out.