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Football Killing Fields
Outrage and disbelief as world soccer body condemns Israel, not Hamas.

By Tom Gross

Israel is used to being singled out for unjust criticism and subjected to startling double standards by the United Nations, the European Union, much of the Western media and numerous academic bodies. But now FIFA — the supposedly nonpolitical organization that governs the world's most popular sport, soccer — is getting in on the act as well.

FIFA has condemned Israel for an air strike on an empty soccer field in the Gaza Strip that was used for training exercises by Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. This strike did not cause any injuries. But at the same time FIFA has refused to condemn a Palestinian rocket attack on an Israeli soccer field last week which did cause injuries.

With the soccer World Cup, which takes place only once every four years, just weeks away, it is a time of mounting emotion for the hundreds of millions of people across the globe who passionately follow the game.

As FIFA meets in the next few days to decide what action to take against Israel, the double standards involved could not be more obvious. Up to now FIFA, which sees itself as a purely sporting body, has gone out of its way to avoid politics, and has refrained from criticizing even the most appalling human-rights abuses connected to soccer players and stadiums.

I came across this article when I was researching for the SS powerpoint presentation and found it rather interesting.
So, FIFA is supposedly a NGO (Non-Government Organization) that does not participate in political activities. Yet just recently, issues have been raised on the controversy regarding the Israel government and FIFA. Israel has been a subject of double standards for the past decades by Western countries such as the United Nations and the European Union, however, the condemning of the Israel soccer players have had eyebrows raised regarding the stereotyping that FIFA is a purely sporting body.
If FIFA were to be a purely sporting body, why should it be bothered about governmental issues such as the air strike on an EMPTY soccer field in Gaza. As it has been reiterated, the soccer field was EMPTY and caused NO injuries. Compare this with the Palestinian rocket attack on an Israel soccer fields which caused injuries. The intention of harm is both there, but as any sane person can see, the Palestinian rocket attack edges out the air strike by a little in terms of injuries caused.

With this said, the double standards of the Western nations is starting to spread its influence to FIFA. The controversies of FIFA amount to more than this single affair and will be further elaborated on in the powerpoint presentation by me.

Jonathan. xD