A country with one of the worst women’s rights records on Earth is set to sponsor the women’s world cup in 2023.
No doubt we’ll then have Infantino slamming critics as unfair because football is about bringing people together and he feels like a woman who can’t leave the home without male consent today, Gary Neville saying this is better than them not sponsoring it because it allows discussion of how to improve women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and apologists saying we can’t criticise this because what about misogyny in the Met Police?
Qatar in the running to buy Manchester United too. Can’t see how that could be blocked, even if anyone wanted it to be. Didn’t Man U fans slate NUFC for celebrating the Saudi takeover?
I don’t think they did beforehand, did they? I don’t think the Saudis did that.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Saudis did encourage a women’s team in Newcastle. They like to make themselves appeal to the locals; just look at Man City and the investment the Emiratis have done for charitable causes so Citeh fans think what wonderful custodians they are. Their purpose, alongside wealth and prestige, is to endear themselves and cover up questionable associations back home. I don’t think the Saudi owners would be bothered by a women’s team; to the owners we’re mostly unbelievers off to Hell anyway and it would make them appear caring for the fans to the outside.
If we started saying Saudi women should be able to play football, then there’d be trouble.
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