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Critic: Bush Wants to Americanize Football
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| Bush wants FIFA to allow football players to use their hands, not only feet when playing |
By
Khaled Mamdouh, IOL Staff
CAIRO
, June 29 (IslamOnline) – In a message to FIFA (International
football governing body) Chief Joseph S. Blatter, U.S. President
George W. Bush sought drastic changes to the world’s first and most
popular game, to make it more like “American soccer”. Analysts,
however, called the move “a silly joke” raising fears Bush may be
serious.
In his message, published by Los Angeles Times
Tuesday, June 25, 2002
, Bush said “like most Americans, I do not know the difference
between an off-side and a corner kick. One thing I know for sure,
Americans are not interested in football because it is boring and
confusing”.
Bush started his message by refusing to call the world’s most
watched and enjoyable game “football”. Instead, he called it
“soccer”.
“Our football is the football, not yours,” Bush added.
He asked "dear Joe" (Joseph Blatter) to "add more lines
to let us and each player to know their position, allow the players to
use their hands as well as their feet," in addition to other
changes.
Commenting on Bush's message, deputy editor of al-Ahram Egyptian daily
newspaper, Essam Abdul Moniem, told IslamOnline
Saturday, June 29, 2002
, that he thought Bush's message was funny. However, he cited his
fears the U.S. President might be "serious".
"It seems the U.S. President is obsessed with the idea of change.
He does not like an elected President anywhere on the planet, he asks
for their ouster. If not, mighty force will have to do the trick.
"Now it has come to football. Bush wants to Americanize
everything and everyone. However, I believe this will backfire, as it
will infuriate most humans on the planet," added Abdul Moniem who
heads the Egyptian and Arab Sports Critics Union.
"By trying to impose his will on the whole world, unmindful of
the peoples' cultures and desires, Bush is sure to gain much more
criticism and rejection. He may be working in good faith though. I
mean may be he wants the Americans to be more interested in football,
so, he wants it to be their football.
"Question is, says who any one wants, or even cares, to make the
Americans interested in the whole world's most favorable game?"
Abdul Moniem charged.
In his daily column Saturday, the highly respected sports critic,
cited the fears of one of his friends as far as Bush's "football
reforms" were concerned. "This may lead to the use of terms
like 'football fans' terror' to replace the word riots. We may even
witness
U.S.
war on states sponsoring football terror" Abdul Moniem quoted his
friend as saying.
Now, the question remains unanswered; is Bush really serious about
"the football reform" or Americanization of football"?
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