Champions League: A Paris Saint-Germain win is a win for Qatar
UEFA needs to take a stronger stand.
The Parisiens have been outstanding on the field, reaching their first Champions League final. The team has proved many critics wrong. Neymar, Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe, and others are 90 minutes from lifting the most coveted cup in club football.
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If they do, it will be a victory for the tiny and morally bankrupt country of Qatar, which has a list of allegations of corruption, civil rights violations, and foreign interference that is longer than Les Miserables.
The fact that a country’s government or regime may be philosophically, morally, and ethically wrong is one primary reason why nation-states should never be involved in football club ownership.
Such ownership corrupts the sport by creating an untenable relationship between the game, its fans, and state-sponsored malfeasance.
The fact that these countries own sporting clubs illustrates the point that mixed economies where the state is directly involved in the private affairs of the economy are linked directly to authoritarianism, racism, extremism, and totalitarian regimes.
This situation is directly counter to UEFA’s efforts to eradicate these ills from the game and the world at large.
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This perceived contradiction must not be allowed to continue. UEFA must take the bold step of abolishing any nation-states that own football clubs from all competitions. This unprecedented move will show the world that their words are backed up by decisive action.