Former FIFA President Blatter Joins Call for US World Cup Boycott Over Trump Administration Conduct
In a surprise move, Sepp Blatter has thrown his weight behind a proposed fan boycott of the upcoming World Cup in the United States. The former FIFA president cited the conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration as the primary reason for calling off the tournament, citing concerns about the Trump administration's "expansionist posture" on issues such as Greenland and immigration.
Blatter's comments echo those made by Mark Pieth, a Swiss attorney who chaired the Independent Governance Committee at FIFA from 2007 to 2015. Pieth warned fans that staying away from the World Cup in the United States would be the best option, with "if you don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home" as their likely fate.
Pieth's comments were sparked by the Trump administration's recent travel ban, which aimed to bar people from certain African countries and Haiti from entering the US. The move was widely criticized, and many fans in these countries are now facing difficulties with their travel plans.
Blatter's endorsement of Pieth's views has added weight to calls for a boycott of the World Cup, with some soccer officials already questioning the suitability of the United States as a host country. Oke Göttlich, one of the vice presidents of the German soccer federation, told German newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost that it was time to seriously consider boycotting the tournament.
The World Cup is set to take place in the US from June 11-July 19, with Canada and Mexico also co-hosting the event. The international soccer community has been growing increasingly uneasy about the Trump administration's approach to immigration and its rhetoric on issues such as Greenland, which many see as xenophobic and divisive.
The boycott call comes at a time of heightened tensions between the US government and countries around the world over issues such as immigration and human rights. With fans from multiple countries already facing difficulties with travel plans, the prospect of a mass boycott has sparked widespread debate in the soccer community.
In a surprise move, Sepp Blatter has thrown his weight behind a proposed fan boycott of the upcoming World Cup in the United States. The former FIFA president cited the conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration as the primary reason for calling off the tournament, citing concerns about the Trump administration's "expansionist posture" on issues such as Greenland and immigration.
Blatter's comments echo those made by Mark Pieth, a Swiss attorney who chaired the Independent Governance Committee at FIFA from 2007 to 2015. Pieth warned fans that staying away from the World Cup in the United States would be the best option, with "if you don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home" as their likely fate.
Pieth's comments were sparked by the Trump administration's recent travel ban, which aimed to bar people from certain African countries and Haiti from entering the US. The move was widely criticized, and many fans in these countries are now facing difficulties with their travel plans.
Blatter's endorsement of Pieth's views has added weight to calls for a boycott of the World Cup, with some soccer officials already questioning the suitability of the United States as a host country. Oke Göttlich, one of the vice presidents of the German soccer federation, told German newspaper Hamburger Morgenpost that it was time to seriously consider boycotting the tournament.
The World Cup is set to take place in the US from June 11-July 19, with Canada and Mexico also co-hosting the event. The international soccer community has been growing increasingly uneasy about the Trump administration's approach to immigration and its rhetoric on issues such as Greenland, which many see as xenophobic and divisive.
The boycott call comes at a time of heightened tensions between the US government and countries around the world over issues such as immigration and human rights. With fans from multiple countries already facing difficulties with travel plans, the prospect of a mass boycott has sparked widespread debate in the soccer community.
. its not like hes perfect, everyone makes mistakes. plus, america's got some amazing teams and stadiums to host the cup... and it's not all about politics, its soccer 
. i mean, dont get me wrong, im all for human rights and immigration reform too 
but lets not forget what we're there for - a good ol game of footy 
!
It's not like it's just a minor issue either, it's got serious implications for people's lives and families. So yeah, I think a boycott is a pretty reasonable idea... but at the same time, are we gonna really ruin an entire World Cup because of one guy's policies? 
. its all about the US admin's attitude towards immigrants and peoples rights i dont think thats somethin anyone should have to deal with especially when its a global event like world cup. maybe just postpone it instead of boycotting? its a big decision tho
. Not to mention, I think some countries in Africa and Haiti would really get hammered by this kind of thing 
. Maybe we should just try to understand where Trump's coming from and see if there's a middle ground 
?
like seriously who expected him to just chill after being outed for all those shady dealings? 
and now he's using Trump as a scapegoat... it's kinda funny how FIFA always gets to play the victim when they're involved in some juicy scandal. 
️ anyway, I'm kinda torn about this whole thing - on one hand, I don't think we should be giving in to Trump's tantrums, but on the other hand, a mass boycott could cause some serious disruptions for fans and stuff... idk, maybe just let it play out and see how things go? 
As for the boycott, I think it's worth considering, especially if it means showing that we won't stand for their xenophobic crap. It might even make a difference, who knows? 
But at the same time, I don't want to see any innocent people get hurt because of this... 
I guess what I'm saying is, let's not be too hasty with our decision, but also, we can't just sit back and do nothing either... 
. But at the same time, if the US government really is as xenophobic and expansionist as people say, then maybe we should think twice about supporting it in a major way 
.
... it's not just about the us world cup, it's about the message it sends to the rest of the world 
... just kidding 
. seriously tho, who thought it was a good idea to make the host country a drama magnet? i mean, come on, travel ban, xenophobic rhetoric... it's like they're trying to be that cool uncle at the family reunion... "hey, let's invite everyone and then act mad when they don't do what we want" 
. but in all seriousness, if you're gonna boycott the World Cup, maybe just stick to a good old fashioned soccer strike instead of causing a global stir 
.