5 moments in which politics and football mixed

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Although they are not usually together, there are times when football serves as a means to send a political message

It is normal that when we talk about football, we focus only on him and leave anything aside, including politics. Many think that one does not have anything to do with the other, but it is true that this sport has been used as a political tool to express their positions regarding an actual situation.

Leer en español: 5 momentos en los cuales la política y el fútbol se mezclaron

In LatinAmerican Post we show you 5 moments in which a football club or a football player take advantage of their influence within the sport to send political messages

1. Álex Granell and the politicians imprisoned in Catalonia

In the last match between the Girón against Real Madrid for Day 24 of La Liga of Spanish football, the captain of the Catalan team took advantage of the victory of his team to send a message. In an interview with Catalunya Radio, Granell affirmed that "it is our way of showing support to politicians who are being judged unfairly. Many players are from the land, we love Catalonia, and we suffer for everything that is happening ", according to ABC.

The politicians are judged to try to carry out a separatist referendum, which defined the situation of the province on October 1, 2017. At that time, thousands of people came out to support and ask for the "yes" in the popular consultation, which was later declared illegal, according to El Confidencial. In the past weeks, the trial began to condemn those who promoted the illegal referendum.

2. Football and Sudan

The African country is mired in a crisis, known as the bread revolt, where thousands of Sudanese protests over the "shortages, shortages and lack of money in ATMs," according to La Vanguardia, since December. Last year.

The famous soccer team Al Hilal Ondurmán, supported the demonstrations, and during the match played on January 24, fans chanted at the stadium "The people want the regime to fall," concerning the government of Omar Al Bashir, according to the media. Journalists.

Similarly, ex-football players Haytham Mustafa and Faisal Al Agab expressed in their social networks they need to take to the streets to show the discontent that is currently experienced in the country. Thus, Al Agab tweeted "I appeal to the Sudanese people to attend the procession of tomorrow in the Arab market, United we won." On the other hand, Mustafa tweeted "If people always wanted life, destiny must respond."

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3. And it's going to fall!

In the middle of the South American Sub 20 football and the re-match against the national team of Bolivia, it is presumed that the Venezuelan players chanted, and will fall, referring to the Maduro regime because that day Juan Guaidó was proclaimed president interim of Venezuela.

However, a similar situation occurred but in baseball and between the Cardinals of Lara of Venezuela against Mexico's Charros de Jalisco in Panama for the Caribbean Baseball Series. A lot of fans carried banners against Maduro and shouted "Libertad," according to RCN.

4. The Camp Nou and its banners

It is not unknown that the house of Barcelona FC, usually allows banners were alluding to the Catalan independence movement, which is increasingly becoming a problem for the Spanish government. In the match for La Liga against Valencia, in the bleachers, it was possible to observe a poster in favor of the Catalan independence movement in which one could read "self-determination is a right, not a crime."

In the same way, during the game, another banner was displayed in which was read "Justice and freedom! Now, Sandro, we love you at home", in which reference was made to former club president Sandro Rosell, and who is currently in prison due to accusations "of an alleged crime of money laundering," according to Mundo Deportivo.

5. Kneeling in the NFL

While it is another type of football, the episode of Colin Kaepernick kneeling while the national anthem sounded, in protest against the constant shooting by the police to African-Americans in 2016, caused a stir.

At that time the former field marshal said that "I'm not going to stand up to show pride for the flag of a country that oppresses black people and people of color. For me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish for me to look the other way. There are bodies in the streets and people who get away with it, "according to the Huffington Post. Since then, Kaepernick has not been hired by any team, but he certainly began a revolution for the rights of African Americans.

LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz

Translated from "5 momentos en los cuales la política y el fútbol se mezclaron"