Ethics In The World Of Football

Ethics in the world of football

Introduction

‘Soccer is the most essential of all non -essential things’

– Franz Beckenbauer, honor president of Bayern F. C.

As is known, football is a huge industry that has a valuable impact on society, although many people do not realize it. Around 300 million people play football worldwide, both at the amateur and professional level, and this figure grows day by day. Football is around us: on television screens, in the banks of the streets, in stores … everywhere you can see something related to this game. Therefore, even those who do not see or play football, know who Lionel Messi is and where he plays, that the selection of France is the current world champion and that Cristiano Ronaldo no longer plays in Real Madrid, but in Juventus. Surely when reading these brief data you have thought: ‘Ah, yes, I know that too!’. And it is not surprising, because football attention is growing and the game develops quickly.

Throughout the history of football, as in all large industries, there have been many cases and acts that could be studied from the moral perspective. In this essay I want to analyze several of them, showing vivid examples and providing arguments. I will deal with issues such as bribery, clean play, simulations and VAR (video assistant referee), case study form. I will apply moral theories and practices learned in the Business Ethics course.

I suppose there are not many people who imply ethical theory in sport and football, in particular.

But now we are going to immerse ourselves in the wide world of king sport and study it from the least common side. Open the belts well, because we will move around the world on a enchanted plane, which will serve as a time machine. The only object we carry in our luggage is a magical book called ‘Soccer Ethics’. It will allow us to analyze various historical events and deepen our knowledge about football. Let’s start it!  Leo Messi wishes us a good trip!

Topic 1: Corruption

According to the Longman Contemporary Dictionary, corruption is ‘a dishonest, illegal or immoral behavior, especially someone with power’. Today, the world suffers a lot this problem. In post -industrial society, people have to handle huge amounts of money. As a multidimensional phenomenon, corruption has attracted a lot of attention from scholars in various fields. Various investigations have been carried out on the issue of corruption in the political and economic fields of our life. In this essay I focus on a relatively little explored context: football. Only a few examples: Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo – these players cost 440 million euros in total (TransferMarkt.com). This brief example shows how much money there is in this game. And where there is a lot of money, there is a high risk of corruption.

Throughout the history of this game there have been many acts of fraud in different parts of the world. The oldest took place on April 2, 1915, when Manchester United played at home with Liverpool. As discovered later, 7 players of both teams organized the arrangement in advance. However, everything they received after the party was a sanction for life. Next, I will make a brief investigation into the issue of corruption from the analysis of an interesting case in the world scene. By the way, it is our first stop. Welcome to Buenos Aires!

In 1978 the World Cup in Argentina was held. The country was poor at that time, the cruel military dictators had all the power. The country’s economy suffered a lot, the level of inflation was very high. Before the tournament, the majority of shacking settlements were demolished, and some lucky ones were covered with fabrics in which beautiful buildings were drawn. This was done for FIFA authorities to see that Argentina was not in crisis, that the country was prepared to house the World Cup. The interesting thing is that everyone believed in these tricks.

Thus, the football party began. Argentina needed to win its World Cup for two reasons: to deal with the economic fall and to reaffirm the world scene. International sporting events offer great opportunities for countries to be shown, and the World Cup is one of them. However, Argentina cheated to achieve its goals. This is what Simon Kuper tells in his book ‘Football against the enemy’. On June 21, Argentina played with Peru in the second round (Group B) and had to win with score 4: 0 to register in the final. Peru lacked money that time, so he agreed to accept 35 tons of crops from his Argentine partners as ‘gift’. As a consequence, Argentina won 6: 0 and later succeeded in the final match with Holland (3: 1). ‘Probably, this is the only game in the whole history of the World Cups that has been won through bribes,’ – says Kuper. What is ironic, Argentina also received the FIFA Fair Play Award at the end of the tournament! two. Mario Kempes, best 1978 World Cup striker who scored 2 goals in the match with Peru (6 goals in total)

Now we are going to illuminate the case through the prism of deontology. It’s time for us to open our ‘Soccer Ethics’ guide. The first chapter is exactly what we need: ‘Deontology’. Deontology theory establishes that any action must be carried out based on certain rules. In this case, the ‘FIFA Statutes’ can serve as a Bible for behavior standards in football. I will focus on its subdocument, the Ethical Code of FIFA. Some appropriate statements in the case of part 20 of this code (‘offer and accept gifts or other benefits’):

In accordance with the previous norms, neither the Argentine authorities, nor the Peruvians can be justified by the deontological theory. Both parties are wrong in this situation, because both violated the FIFA Code of Ethics: Argentina made a gift that influenced the rival’s behavior, and Peru accepted the non -ethical offer. There can be no doubt in the purpose of that gift, because Peruvian senator Genaro Ledesma showed that the act was agreed between the dictatorship of the two countries.

In addition, the situation is not ethical because Kempes, the best World Cup striker, scored 2 of his 6 goals in the match with Peru. No one knows what would have happened if the game was not arranged. Maybe some other player would have received the gold boot of the tournament, for example, Rob Rensenbrink (Holland) or Teófilo Cubillas that scored 5 goals each.

By the way, there is a terrifying burden of this type of actions that occur in football every day. The parties are fixed and the spirit of the competition is overshadowed. And to each of these cases the deontological perspective can be applied: one part always makes the tempting offer and the other accepts it. He is actively struggling against corruption in football, but, unfortunately, he has not completely disappeared. But now is the time to change the stage, because our second flight leaves in a few seconds!

Topic 2: Clean play

The notion of clean play is the most important in the organization of FIFA and in football, in general. The world was announced in 1993. Since then 11 doctrines were developed: respect for others, sportsmanship, respect for rules, friendship, team spirit, fair competition, equality, integrity, solidarity, tolerance and care. Therefore, all players must be respectful to each other, with the adversaries, with the referees and with the fans. It is not just about the game itself, ethical behavior must appear both inside and outside the field. However, little ethical situations are still produced. Now I want to talk about one of them. 3. It is an official slogan of moderate FIFA in 2003

Our flight has arrived in the capital of Germany, Berlin, 28 years after the Argentine team was world champion for the first time. The date is July 9, 2006, Saturday. The place is the Olympiastadion. The figures that act are the selections of France and Italy that fight for the World Cup trophy in the final match. After 90 ′ minutes of play, the score is 1: 1 and the extra time begins. Although the game is not aggressive, in the 110th minute there is a terrible incident. The French captain, Zinedine Zidane, hits the Italian defense Marco Materazzi in the chest. The referee, Horacio Elizondo, did not see the episode in person, because the ball was in another part of the field. Immediately run to your assistants, who give you all the necessary information. Then Zidane receives a red card and leaves the field.

However, the initial scene may seem simpler than it really is. Let’s inspect the episode with more precision and find out what led the French captain to act like this. The legendary moment as it was seen from the stands

After the corner kick from the French team, the ball moved away from the area and the Italian counterattack began. However, Zidane, as an offensive midfielder, did not actively participate in defensive actions, so he was slowly heading to his side. Materazzi, meanwhile, was playing personally with Zidane at that time and threw him slightly from the shirt on the spot. Then there was the following dialogue (they are not appointments, but the phrases and the general idea were like this):

Z: If you want, I can give you my shirt after the game.

M: I prefer your sister, the whore.

Z: (hits the adversary).

Now, dear reader, you understand the whole case and positions of both players. I think it’s time to recognize the second chapter of our magic book: ‘The veil of ignorance’. This theory was impacted by the writings of authors such as Immanuel Kant, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and others. In this essay I want to focus on the 1971 version of the same described by the American philosopher John Rawls. Proposed a mental experiment called ‘original position’. In this experiment a group of people (in our case we are you and I) try to define the basic structure of society (in our case it is the best form of behavior in the place of Zidane) from behind the so -called ‘veil’ of unconsciousness. Ignorance means that we do not know anything about race, age, social status and, above all, the conception of people’s good in society that we moderate. The last aspect of the list is the idea that the individual has on how to lead a good life (Pete Murray, Cambridge University Press). I want to focus exactly this notion more thoroughly. What will our modest society choose from you and I at the place of Zidane: give a header to the adversary or ignore the provocation? It is difficult to give an accurate answer to this question, because you can think that the French captain acted off a unreasonable and unprofessional. Although he could argue that he performed a morally correct action by protecting his family’s honor. Therefore, we must increase the number of people in our society so that what is at stake is greater and answer the question. Here we have to apply a mental experiment. I propose that this society would prefer to ignore provocation and make Zidane’s action morally bad, because no one would like to receive a blow to the chest. However, no one would also prefer to be offended by people like Materazzi. Therefore, Italian’s actions would also be interpreted as morally not good. Consequently, our mental experiment tells us that neither Zidane nor Materazzi were morally correct, and that their actions were not ethical.

In any case, the main thing is that both Zidane and Materazzi admitted their mistakes. Later, the captain of France wrote: ‘I am not proud of this gesture – for all these young people, all these coaches, all these volunteers who do football is a different thing. But it is part of my career, of my life. It is one of those things that are not pleasant, that you have to accept and digest ’. Materazzi, in turn, even decided to write an autobiography after that final. In that book he talked about this situation and apologized to Zidane. As a consequence, the conflict was resolved shortly.

By the way, the extension ended with score 1: 1 and the penalty shootout began. David Trezeguet, a French striker, failed a shot, and the Italians became world champions for the fourth time. Compaded by Zizou and happy by the Italians, now we have to climb our plane. The captain announces: ‘Dear passengers, please open the belts. The next destination is Madrid ’. 5. Dramatic Zidane scene leaving the stadium after being expelled. He didn’t even look at the trophy. It was the last game of his career. After the 2006 Zidane World Cup final, he retired

Topic 3: Simulations

‘Welcome to Barajas International Airport. The outer temperature is 7 degrees Celsius. The weather is cloudy. It is better to wear a jacket. I hope you enjoy your stay in Spain ’ – says the captain just before we leave the plane.

Looking at the clock, we see that it is December 6, 2014. It is a fresh night in the capital, but that does not prevent local citizens from visiting Santiago Bernabéu, the Real Madrid Soccer Club stadium. Today the Real and El Celta play on the 14th day of the Spanish League. The referee whips exactly at 20.00 and 80.300 fans begin to support their teams. The game is not aggressive, but the quiet atmosphere does not last long. In the 35th minute, Real Cristiano Ronaldo striker falls in the rival area and the Undiano Mallenco sets a penalty. All Celta players run immediately towards the referee and begin to discuss the correction of their decision. However, Mallenco is inflexible and shows two yellow cards: one to the player who hit Ronaldo (Jonathan Castro) and another who spoke too much (Nolito). Ronaldo, as usual, marks the penalty and the Real begins to lead the game (later Ronaldo scored 2 more goals and the Real won 3: 0). But what happened at that time in the penalty area? Why did Celta players opposed the referee? Let’s rebound and analyze the scene.

If you have not seen the initial episode from the stands, you can see it through the Internet, as I did. In this video of the game it is clear that Ronaldo threw himself on purpose (that is, it was a simulation). If you do not agree with me, you just have to do these photos: 6. Ronaldo is touched slightly in the back, and ..

I want to apply the golden rule and the categorical imperative to the situation. That is what chapters 3 and 4 of the book ‘Soccer Ethics’ deal. Also known as the Law of Reciprocity, the Golden Rule sounds like this: ‘Do to others what you want to do to you’. To simplify, the general idea of the statement is that you have to treat others in the same way that you would like them to treat you. It is a very clear and easy moral law to understand that it has been obtained by practically all religions of the world in more or less the same sense. For example, Hindu interpretations, beans, Buddhists, confucian and Zoroastrianas emerged in the period between 1500 to.C. and 1000 D.C. By the way, many people confuse Kant’s categorical imperative with the golden rule, however, his work is not the same. Maybe it can be called a development of the golden rule, but not its synonym. Written in 1785, Kant’s idea was that any action must be carried out if the actor wants it to be a universal law. This notion can be defined as a way to evaluate the motivations for action. 7. … The greatest performance of my life happens. You just have to see the position of your hands. Stanislavskiy would have believed, I’m sure

Now let’s think about Ronaldo’s behavior in the context of written theory above. In my opinion, if someone will ask Cristiano’s actions, they can be assumed as a universal law for all players (in other words, should all players simulate the same as Christian?), the vast majority would answer that no. The same answer would be obtained, in my view, if we asked all Celta’s players if they liked the treatment received by the Real striker in that game. I am sure that each of them would be furious. Therefore, with his dive Ronaldo violated no 1, but 2 ethical laws. His action was morally incorrect, since no one would like to make simulations a universal law and, in addition, be admonished by something he did not do (since Jonathan Castro did not commit any fault).

I apologize to Cristiano Ronaldo for having chosen him as a victim of theme 3. Personally, I am a great Real Madrid fan, and this example is just a tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of simulations that occur weekly. Unfortunately, it is a horrible trend in modern football. In the previous century and at the beginning of the current players were less vulnerable to tickets and the game had less stops. In the last decade the game has changed a lot in this regard. The players became softer and fragile, and the dynamics of the game decreased. Simulations not only spoil the game from the professional point of view, but also from morals, as we have verified.

To make the most fair and legitimate game, since 2018 a special system called VAR – Video Assistant Referee was introduced. On the next topic we will talk about this invention. To move on, we go back on board our plane and set up to Paris. Long live France!

Topic 4: Var (Video Assistant Referee)

The Customs of the Charles de Gaulle airport kindly check our documents and voila, we are in the city of love and the croissants! Unfortunately, we don’t have time for express coffee because it is the night of March 6, 2019. This means that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) plays with Manchester United (MU) in the second round of the Eighth Eighth of the UEFA Champions League (UCL). The first game in Manchester ended with a victory of the Parisian team (2: 0). Now the English wanted revenge.

The game begins in the Princes Park, and Manchester immediately marks in the 2nd minute of the match. The PSG gets nervous, the team begins to attack actively, and the MU finds the ball at the bottom of the network in the 12 ′ minute. The tie means that the English have to mark 2 to reach 1/4 of the UCL. It is hardly possible, because Paris plays too confident at home. But in the 30th minute, Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian Manchester striker, marks again and makes his team leader (2-1). Intermediate arrives and teams go to changing rooms. The second part begins, nobody wants to lose. The game is very dynamic: many shots, many passes, many moments. Pure pretty game! The game is about to finish, but in the 90th minute there is an impossible moment. Diogo Dalot (Mu) shot, but the ball bounces and does not reach the goal. The MU receives a corner, but all the players of the English team surround Damir Skomina, a slovenian referee of the game. Everyone tries to convince Skomina that Kimpembe, defense of the PSG, made a hand play trying to block Dalot’s shot. Without hesitation, the referee addresses the lateral line monitor to review the possible moment of the penalty. All fans are sitting at the edges, waiting for decisions anxiety. Skomina returns to the field and gives Manchester a penalty. Marcus Rashford puts the 3-1 on the scoreboard and the PSG culminates its performance in the UCL. An incredible comeback from Manchester United, the Var system in operation! To have a visual understanding of what happened and how the game took place.

In my opinion, the best way to judge the VAR from the ethical point of view is to apply the utilitarian theory. This is the last time, for now, that we use our ‘football ethics’ guide with all the answers to our questions. Chapter 5 will tell us all about utilitarianism. Jeremy Bentham, English philosopher and moralist, inventor of this theory, developed it in the 1780s. His idea was described by him as follows: ‘The utility principle considers‘ good ’which produces the greatest amount of pleasure and the minimum amount of pain and‘ bad ’(introduction to the principles of morality and legislation). In other words, the action must be carried out if it provides happiness to the largest number of people. Otherwise, the action should not be done. ‘A very suggestive theory of SR. Bentham, but how does it relate to our case? Do not worry, let me explain everything. This is what viewers see on their screens when the VAR system is used during the game. The red circle was drawn by me to provide them with an approach area

I think the action we must consider is the introduction of VAR in football, in general. There are still not many cases to consider this system, because it is relatively new, but I have tried to describe it in the most recent example. Therefore, we are not going to focus on the PSG-MU match, but on VAR in football as a phenomenon, because I used the previous case for its understanding of the moral problem. That is, let’s try to answer the following question: Does the VAR contribute happiness to the greatest number of people compared to their absence? In other words, are more happy people now, with the VAR, than before their introduction?

I affirm that if a social survey was conducted, most football lovers would prefer that the VAR was present in the game. It provides more justice and facilitates clean play, which is the most important aspect in sport. If this survey would be conducted regardless of a particular party, the results would be favorable to the VAR. However, if we focus on an exact game, for example, the PSG-MU, then what is at stake can change. In this case, the situation would be 50/50 or something, because people usually support a team. Thus, the followers of the PSG would blame the VAR, because they were eliminated from the UCL because of their fault, and those of the MU would say that this system is very useful. To avoid these complications on the decision, we should not focus on specific facts such as some parties. We should take into account permanent things, the game itself. And if we do, the VAR would be accepted by the majority, as I have already mentioned.

Soccer is a game in which one team loses and the other wins, as in most cases. Therefore, if a team loses due to the decision of the VAR, it should be proud of not having unjustly earned. If a penalty was not because of the PSG-MU match, not all players and their followers would be happy, I suppose. It is better to losing honestly than winning cheating. Therefore, the var is what contributes the most well -being to people, as I see it. Consequently, it was a correct decision of FIFA to develop this technology, since it positively affects the game.

conclusion

The objective of this essay was to demonstrate that football is a fertile area for ethical investigation. Here is a huge variety of cases that can be analyzed and estimated from the moral perspective. For my part, I have only contributed 4 of them and I have used only 5 theories. I hope that from these examples they have understood Beckenbauer’s appointment given at the beginning. The football industry is a small copy of our society where the same problems and complicated situations occur. I have done my best to share my love for the king sport. I want to end an appointment of an acquaintance author, Albert Camus: ‘Everything I know about the morals and obligations of men, I owe it to football’. Amad football, play it, look at him and be part of ‘The most essential of everything not essential’.