Collateral damage in invasion

IT was the biggest disappointment of my career, said former Malaysian football captain Soh Chin Aun.

Malaysia’s most capped footballer was referring to the country’s decision to pull the national team out of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The move was in support of the United States-led decision to boycott the summer games as retaliation for the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

It wasn’t the first time the national team had qualified for the Olympics (the 1972 team had the honours), but short of the World Cup, this was arguably the most prestigious tournament Malaysia could take part in. To give this context, we have failed repeatedly since then to qualify for the Olympics.

Chin Aun, popularly known as The Towkay, has the distinction of being the only player to have appeared in two Olympic squads – 1972 and 1980.

“I was lucky I played in the Munich Olympics, but my teammates were crushed by the government’s decision to pull the team from the Moscow Olympics. We felt then that sports and politics should be separated,” he said, when interviewed five years ago for the film on the 1980 squad, Ola Bola.

There was a huge outcry in the press in 1980 when the decision was made but despite appeals from the public as well as the football association, the country was not represented at the Games.

The 1980 Olympics was a lost opportunity for the country, and one could argue our strongest possible side with the likes of Chin Aun, Mokhtar Dahari and Santokh Singh, were prevented from showcasing their skills on the world stage.

Fast-forward to the present and there has been a slew of boycotts against Russian sportsmen over its invasion of Ukraine.

While sanctions are being issued around the world against Russia’s aggression, its athletes have been dealt the harshest of blows because they have been barred from taking part in sporting events.

From football to badminton and from gymnastics to skiing, sports federations are sending out a strong message and piling pressure on Russia by banning their nationals from competing in international events.

And that’s not all. These federations have also started cancelling events and tournaments in Russia itself.

European soccer’s governing body UEFA moved the 2022 Champions League final away from St Petersburg after the invasion. It will now be held in Paris.

Formula 1 cancelled the Russian Grand Prix, saying it was “impossible” to hold the race, which was scheduled for Sept 25. Formula 1 later announced that it had terminated a contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, meaning there will be no more races in the country for the foreseeable future.

It’s arguable which has hurt Russia more, the economic sanctions or the sports boycott because its government has spent vast sums of money hosting international events.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, himself a keen sportsman, has repeatedly sought to use the events – including the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup – to bolster the country’s reputation abroad.

A particular blow to Putin and to his football-mad country would have been FIFA’s move to exclude Russia from the 2022 World Cup. Russia, although needing to overcome Poland in a playoff, was poised to join the 31 other nations in Qatar in October.

Russian Football team captain Artem Dyzuba lashed out on his Instagram at the FIFA ban. “Why do some have all the rights while we are accused of all the evils?”

In that post, Dzyuba said he was against discrimination on the basis of nationality, and that he could not understand why Russian athletes were being made to suffer.

I am in no way condoning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, because the atrocities being committed there merit condemnation and a strong reaction from the international community. But Dyzuba has a point when he talks about double standards.

When the United States launched various invasions and occupations in the past, did FIFA or any other sports federation take action?

And neither FIFA nor UEFA has criticised Israel for its military attacks against civilians in Palestine. In fact, action has been taken in the past against players for openly showing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Compare that with FIFA’s praise for footballers in the major leagues who have shown support for Ukraine. That’s sheer hypocrisy.

The boycotts by sports organisations, urged by the Western leaders, are meant to punish Russia and Putin over the invasion of Ukraine. But it looks like it’s the country’s athletes who have become collateral damage.

And it’s not only Russian athletes who are paying the price for the folly of their politicians.

But the reality of sanctions in today’s cancel culture world has meant that everything Russian – businesses, politicians and the people of Russia – is paying the price for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The concept of sanctioning is way more severe than it has ever been.

The future of European champion Chelsea is uncertain after sanctions were placed on Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea is due to play the FA Cup quarter-final tie at Middlesbrough on Saturday, but the club has confirmed that no tickets would be made available to its supporters.

In fact, fans will not be able to watch any more Champions League home games at Stamford Bridge this season and maybe for the foreseeable future.

This is an absurd situation but when you mix politics with sports, it’s the athletes who always suffer and, in this case, the fans too.

The Towkay’s words ring true even today – sports and politics should be kept separate. Always.