An Old International

to boycott or to not boycott

Lovers of football will surely look forward to the World Cup kicking off on June 11, however. They may also be bewildered, enraged even, about the scenes which have played out on their screens and have been shared multiple times over.

The Senegalese national team were almost strip searched upon arrival, the African referee of the year 2025, a Somalian national was deported back and there were reports that he entertained links to terrorist groups. These allegations sound adventurous, yet the fact that a FIFA official is deported directly speaks volumes about one of the host nations’ point of view on migration.

The question is rather: what can be done about the situation to be better for any future soccer World Cup or any other major sporting event, be that Olympics or the Athletics World Championships or anz other sports. It is a question of whether or not to boycott any future events. Of course, a boycott is easy to proclaim. To state not to attend an event is easy but what is the end of this mean? And what is the good of it?

A boycott on the sporting scene has only been useful once – South Africa. The exclusion of South Africa from sports events has prevented that the country would be able to use sports as a way to polish its image on the international stage. It has been successful as the Apartheid Regime was overthrown at the end of the 1990s.

In her book “Futopia” the German journalist Alina Schwermer argues that it is not a good idea to boycott host nations of football tournaments. She states that this is rather selfish of those to boycott and turns the attention away from the problems which gave rise to the idea of a boycott in the first place. Instead, she argues to go there and have a closer look to get engaged with local people who highlight serious problems and to help them being Heard, getting their message across. Otherwise these would never be mentioned in the mainstream media in other countries. Boycotts would not help as they would hit the common people instead of those at whom a boycott or sanctions are aimed at: those in power. The Russian President and Russian companies have earned billions from the war, despite of the sanctions of Europe against Russia and ist oligarchs. Instead of kowtowing to a regime it should be for more important to cover what is happening – excessive violence towards people who have no one to stand up for them but themselves, who have no one to defend them.

Further, she argues that football events and any other should not be hosted by nation states but by regions, preferably those which span across borders. This, however, is material for another post. Her ideas on boycotting major events are interesting and should be discussed more broadly.

Paris, Football, Violence

Hear The Sirens

Pearl Jam, „Sirens“ (2013)

There were sirens galore in Paris during the Champions League final. Here’s an attempt to explain why.

The football stadium is a double tragedy, writes the French anthropologist Éric Wittersheim in a study about the supporters of Paris Saint-Germain, PSG. Firstly, it is a social tragedy as people who are watching are condemned to do so passively. Secondly, it is a tragedy of limited space which provides ample space for all societal ills to come to the fore: racism, violence, …

Thankfully, the violence has largely been ousted from football grounds, bar some exceptions. However, violence can not be eliminated entirely and will always find its way, like water. This is what has happened in Paris during and after the 2026 Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal. In fact, any footballing triumph for a French side is now automatically the cause for violence. And in the case of PSG, the death toll over the last couple of years has been three.

Football, Paris and Violence – that’s a sad trinity.

The Dutch journalist Simon Kuper has recently written that football has become fashionable in Paris in recent years. While wearing a PSG shirt in the early 2000s meant social death, it has become fashionable of late to wear the colours of Paris’ richest club. This may be so. In fact, ever since the take over of PSG by the Qatari state investment fund in 2011, the identity of the club has changed significantly. Yet Kuper’s conclusion is missing an important point: most of the supporters of PSG come from outside the city’s geographical boundaries, i.e. from the suburbs. And these suburbs have been neglected for years – still are – by those in power. For years, if not decades, these people had no place in Paris – PSG provided them an entry. Their presence does not always go down well with the Parisians who largely consider football as a sport and its supporters unworthy their dignity.

selfishness, violence and instant gratification

Why such violence, though? This can only be explained by a stoked up anger and frustration among those who deliberately destroy rental bikes, set cars on fire, smash bus shelters and fight with the police whenever and wherever they have the possibility. As is usual, there are people who attend such celebrations in order to cause unrest, to stir chaos and initiate violence. Though these are the minority, their actions make football fans look like wild hordes without any behaviour. Let’s face it, people in the suburbs, especially those to the north east of Paris have very different experiences, more violent ones, hence their inclination towards violence. It would not be an exaggeration to state that some of those troublemakers have never set a foot inside a football stadium, let alone that they care about football. They care about violence, having an outlet and seeing their actions on the respective media platforms.

This is, however, short sighted. The other side, the police, are no angels either. And this is not limited to France alone. Yet, experiences in France and Paris confirm that they do not hesitate to use violence or whatever means they possess to disperse football crowds. The use of tear gas is widespread and whoever has been near a cloud of this substance knows: it stings and immobilises for quite some time. Therefore, either side of the equation stands guilty as charged.

all fans are violent? not all, but it’s complicated

Wittigheim states that there is a presumption that all football supporters are inherently violent and uncultured people. The scenes in Paris, around the Parc des Princes and on the Champs Élysées will surely prove those who argue that way right. Yet, this is too easy an explanation. In Boulogne-Billancourt, a posh suburb to the west of Paris, that pretends to be like Paris but tidier, a group of about 80 young PSG supporters initiated a march through the town centre singing, chanting, lighting flares and generally spreading a positive atmosphere. Yet, this may be limited to such a well-off neighbourhood but it shows that a non-violent celebration of this historical feat is possible and indeed laudible. It is therefore also the task of the media to paint a varied image of football fans, more inclusive and in depth, informed by verified information and not just sensationalism and click bait.

This is a black and white photograph of young people celebrating their team’s success in the UEFA Champions League final. They are fans of Paris Saint-Germain. The scene is friendly, no violence only flares involved.

While PSG has undergone an metamorphosis from an unloved club with little to no funds to sign top players into one of the richest in the world, capable of attracting top talents such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. However, the same cannot be said of its supporters. The core of their supporters originate from the suburbs or from further afield. With success comes confidence, comes swagger – something not liked by the locals of the 16th arrondissement of Paris.

This article is based on lengthy conversations with Jerome Pugmire, AP journalist, based in Paris.

the climax

It’s May 8 and Magdeburg celebrate their biggest triumph: winning the Cup Winners’ Cup against AC Milan in 1974 in Rotterdam.

work to be done

It’s late March, almost April and the football season enters its decisive phase; it is now that the routes to silverware, promotion, a safe mid-table finish or relegation are paved. Those clubs at the top will look forward to claim the title, while those at the bottom will work hard to avoid the drop at any cost and mobilize all their powers for this objective. Currently, FC Magdeburg are in such a situation where every player has to give 110% and more to avoid relegation. To add insult to injury, there is no calm off the pitch, either. The match in late January against Dynamo Dresden deliverd a case in point.

It is a rivalry that dates back to the 1970s and continues to stir emotions on either side. This year though, it was different as the violence has reached another, hitherto unprecedented, level.

This is not about who provoked whom but more about the fallout. The statements by the club in the wake of what happened were the usual condemnation of the violence yet lacked any purpose or determination. No consequences were given even though it was clear relatively early that the police would be investigating a possible manslaughter. This should be a wake up call for anyone: the board, the fans, the media.

Why was there this excessive violence? As stated before, the game against Dynamo Dresden is a derby that has been hotly contested off the pitch for years. However, it is known that Magdeburg have links to BFC Dynamo Berlin hooligans who regularly visit the Magdeburg stadium. There is a likelyhood that these people came to cause a ruckus and did so on purpose. The involvement of other firms may not be excluded here. Those firms are well connected and alliances are well established. It could be that external factors were responsible for the events inside the ground on January 24. However, there remains the question as to how large objects could be brought into the stadium before the match. It sheds a light on the match day security, which has been employed for years.

Another player in this game is the fan support group. The relationship between the club and this group appeared to be in good health – until recently. The fan support group issued a statement recommending all fans at the match to hide or better yet, to destroy any evidence that may suggest that fans were at the match, were on the north stand and were possibly involved in the violent outbreak. Now this represents a line crossed. Yes, a mistrust towards the police may be justified due to previous negative experiences which involved the kettling in of fans without the possibility to go to the toilet, in hot or cold or rainy weather conditions on the simple suspicion that football fans cause mayhem, regardless if they are ultras, male or female or whatever type of fan.

It has been a laudable relationship between fans and the board at Magdeburg, one which was based on communication – as much as the Ultras let this happen. The idea was to get everyone on board to avoid alienation and mistrust. The fan support organisation was helpful establishing this link and people were mostly concerned with the organisation of enjoyable away days without aforementioned negative experiences. That these very people feel it necessary to go such lengths is telling. It is indicative that something is broken at the club and that something is clearly disbalanced.

How did this happen? This requires to look further afield than just at a football club. The state of society can be described as alarming. Violence – verbal and physical has become accepted. Speaking out against violent club members is avoided as this may lead to accusations of exclusion; and no one seems to be willing to have such a debate, nor seems capable of engaging and maintaining such a debate. The willingness of communication and dialogue has sunk.

The Club have heaped shame on themselves by not saying much more than the usual such as “violence has no place in our stadium” and other blunt and tedious statements. It seems that only the police come out of this mess unscathed and with their reputation intact. Everyone else has lost a lot of credibility and it takes efforts to regain this. This requires time and communication – the latter is obviously not the strong point of the media department of the club, or of the Club itself, and they won’t be given much time as the capacity to listen and reason has dramatically diminished.

Whatever the outcome of the season, heads need to be changed and the mentality needs a reset.

devoid and meaningless

A few weeks ago I was on the Parisian underground when I saw a guy walking towards me with a scarf of my home town club, FC Magdeburg. I stopped him and asked if he was a supporter. He said no, he wasn’t but added that a friend of his gave him the scarf as a gift or to keep him warm during winter. While the purpose of a scarf is of course to keep our necks warm and to show some allegiance with any sports team, the idea of wearing these colours felt somewhat like a desecration. This guy doesn’t even know where this town is, let alone has he any idea about the club. A scarf is a clothing accessory to keep the neck warm during winter and it is used as a significant means to show loyalty to a sporting team, mostly football teams but also other sports. As such they serve as a way to establish a community, imaginary and real among football supporters of any particular club.

This erroneous use of a scarf by a random Parisian guy in the underground left me somewhat perplexed. Things such as the allegiance with a football team expressed by wearing a replica shirt, a fan scarf and any other accessories have become devoid of all meaning. Fandom as i know it is no longer set in stone. It has become liquid or worse, exchangeable.

I’m running the 2026 Paris Marathon for Mental Health UK and i’m raising funds for this charity. For more info, please visit my fundraising page.

The Forgotten Match: England v Germany, Wembley, February 1966

With the 60th anniversary of the 1966 World Cup mere months away, it is time to remind readers that England had played West Germany twice in 1966: once in February and the other match was the World Cup final in July 1966.

Read more →

60 years and a little bit wiser

Compared to the development of football since the late 1870s, 60 years is not a long time, let alone would it be seen as old age. However, considering the twists and turns of history, 60 years can be a long time. Taking into account that within the first decade of its existence, Magdeburg had won the European Cup and were one of the most promising teams in Europe, the following 50 years were quite a difficult time to go through. From its inception on December 22, 1965 to its biggest triumph on May 8, 1974, not even 10 years had passed; and the following years had been a slow but steady decline. This was only accelerated by end of the Cold War in 1989. Within a year, the GDR ceased to exist and with it an entire political system. The vacuum was not filled with promises but with hard lessons and many disappointments. For Magdeburg it came at the worst possible moment as the club ended the 1980s rather well. The demise of communism plunged East German football into the abyss. For Magdeburg, the deepest point came in the mid-1990s when the drop into the 5th division loomed and a merger with a local rival was on the table. Neither came to happen – thankfully. Slowly the club rebuilt, suffering setbacks such as insolvency in 2001, missing out on promotion like in 2007 by mere minutes as well as missing several chances to qualify for newly established leagues like in 1994. And most famously in 2012 when they finished bottom of the table and escaped the drop only because the leagues were merged.

Just as missing out and escaping so close, we should not forget, that in the final match of the 1996-1997 season the referee blew his whistle a few minutes earlier to grant promotion. He did so with about 10000 fans standing pitch side waiting for the final whistle. What would have happened had the opposition of the day, Hoyerswerda, equalised or even taken the lead – only speculation knows.

Magdeburg would not be Magdeburg if things were not twisted and not always easy. Yet, only a few things in life are easy and surviving in an increasingly professionalised football environment requires not only legs but also brains. These were not there in the early 1990s – how could they? Those in charge of the club had not experienced capitalism and were duly overwhelmed and outsmarted by their western counterparts and cheated by some charlatans.

Magdeburg have done well since 2015: going up to the third division, and even further in 2018 and again in 2022. Second division football seems likely to be happening in Magdeburg in the next year. Alas, there will be no European football soon. Let that be the only negative point in this eulogy!

The upward trajectory of the Club runs in parallel with the positive development of the city: since the late 2000s, early 2010s, the city has become more positive looking and sounding. The scars of the past have begun to heal. No longer are big numbers of people fleeing the city to find work in nearby West Germany or Berlin. With political turmoil on the horizon, though, it remains to be seen, if the following 60 years will be just as spectacular as those 6 decades just gone.

Here’s to you, 1. FC Magdeburg!

Cretinous

If you ever needed proof that FIFA has become a farce, watch this clip. The person who has posted this, sincerely believes in what he has written in his tweet.

Business is Paramount

It is common knowledge that since 2010 FIFA has left the path of candour and become a corrupt organisation. This may have been the case before, but in December 2010, it became clear to the wider public that the core of this organisation is rotten.

In contrast UEFA has held out against this trend. Until November 2025. This month the governing body of European football has announced that the broadcast rights for its prime product, the Champions League will be held by the American company Paramount Skydance. While this is nothing new as TV rights have been bought and sold for decades, it is perhaps lesser known to the public that Paramount and its subsidiaries is owned by Larry Ellison, who is a Trump ally.

FIFA has become sycophantic in relation to the American president and UEFA are seemingly going down the same road. The amount paid is staggering, it is said to be around €10 billion between 2027 and 2031.

Paramount Skydance is also the owner of CBS, an American TV and radio network. As such, the company wields power, political power and can influence public opinion. By donating millions to the Republicans and other conservative institutions, Ellison and his businesses already exercise power.

Why is this important? At the end of the day, it is football, sport, so there is no implications for the viewer and for the sport.

Wrong.

Language is an important and powerful tool to challenge and/or reinforce existing power structures, according to the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci. As such language and the media can shape views and stereotypes.

Every media platform, regardless of size, has been streamlined in one way or another: the owners and shareholders dictate what is being shown, which perspectives are being allowed and what is not tolerated. Further, the tone of the coverage may also be indicative. How often certain groups are associated with certain words, accused of a certain way of behaviour, the way of living plays a role in how the wider public shape their opinions towards them.

UEFA have become the just another pawn in the game of the powerful (arch) conservative and rightwing of rolling back any progress and forward thinking.

No remorse? No job!

News broke late last week, over the weekend that Jerôme Boateng is about to return to Bayern Munich to gather work experience as a coach. While this is laudable as he has won a few trophies throughout his career, the news nonetheless sheds a dubious light on the club and poses serious questions to German society in general.

We remember, Boateng was accused of having hurt a former girlfriend, yet escaped being sentenced. This in itself represents a slap in the face of women and the woman in question. The trial has been dragging for more than five years now and initially the player had to face the fact of having a criminal record. However, several instances at various courts later and Boateng was acquitted but has to pay €100000 to organisations that help kids. And should he ever be reported to the police for violence against women, he will face severe charges. In football parlance: he is booked and next time he’ll be sent off.

Football is way too lenient when it comes to domestic violence. A few years ago, a former player in England was hired by a club after having assaulted a woman. Boateng was accused of having beaten his girlfriend while they were on holiday. The former couple have been arguing for several years about the custody of their kids and it appeared that it is before this background that the argument escalated with both sides getting physical; yet Boateng appeared to have hit harder which led to the investigation in the first place. Initially, he faced charges of €1.5m and a conviction but he escaped either for different reasons.

He got away with it and it’s not fine. It throws a terrible light on football and the German society at large. Will we accept someone without showing any remorse as a coach in football? It may just be possible he coahces kids or a women team! Will they feel safe in when near him? While it is clear that people make mistakes, it is vital that they live up to them and learn from them. This clearly seems not to be the case with Boateng. This is terrible news for football and sports in general.

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I’m running the 2026 Paris Marathon for Mental Health UK and i’m raising funds for this charity. For more info, please visit my fundraising page.