Pod Save the World - World Corrupt Episode 5: A Call to Action

Episode Date: November 5, 2022

With the beginning of the tournament just over two weeks away, Tommy and Roger dig into the significance of athlete activism as they learn more about the dangerous and abusive living situations faced by migrant workers. Formerly imprisoned migrant worker Malcolm Bidali recounts the abuses he suffered in Qatar. Human rights activists Nick McGeehan and May Ramanos also join to articulate how and why athletes and fans alike need to keep the pressure on FIFA even after the World Cup concludes.

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with little Tommy John's, men's, and women's loungewear. I want to know who came up with the campaign Softness Season. Oh, and they need a raise. Because I've loved wearing these beauties as we pod, and because I'm only visible from the chest up at all times, they're all of had to wear from the waist down, Thomas. I thought softness season was just called aging. I now really hope that we do not have to do a six-episode in studio together, Raj.

Shop Tommy John's Black Friday. early access sale with 25% off site wide at Tommyjohn.com slash world. Get 25% off for a limited time only at Tommyjohn.com slash world. Go right now to Tommyjohn.com slash world. See site for details. Softness season. No matter how bleak things get, we have to try to give people some inspiration, something to believe in. moments like these athletes in history have worked out how to seize the spotlight to seize the moment and created enormous social change welcome back to world corrupt i am so happy to once again be in the virtual studio with roger bennett from the brilliant men and blazers podcast this is the fifth episode in our six-part series on the

2022 world cup and guitar a mash-up so catchy and conscious that we had to give comment a writing credit Oh, Pod Save America's Tommy Vitor, some pop, some locks, some move robotic, like cash money. We stay in pocket. And if you're still listening after me, reciting Commons, lyricist, brilliance, friends, first, we're thrilled to have you. But we'd advise you to go back to the very first episode of World Corrupt. So you can hear why we're doing this series in the first place. It's all to do with FIFA's history. unchecked corruption and what life is really like for the migrant workers in Qatar who built all

the infrastructure needed to make this tournament even possible for the world's viewing pleasure. You'll also get to hear Roger and I try to make each other laugh at the most inappropriate times possible. So that is, I think, a bonus. And thank God, the editors on this project work for men in blazers. But Tommy, back to today's pod and brace yourself, listeners, as we dive into how the broader football world is responding or not responding to concerns about Qatar's human rights record as we inch ever closer to the kickoff of World Cup 2022. And we should probably make it clear. We're talking about the football world at large here. We're not talking about the Megan Rapino's or the Tim Sparves of the world, both of whom you heard from in the last episode. Such singularly

wonderful individuals do exist. But right now, we're looking for demonstrations really on a great So those individual players, they stepped up a little faster than the footballing establishment, if you will. Exactly. That very much larger footballing establishment, which really only started the signal they were even aware a World Cup and guitar was happening back in March 2021 with who else? The Norwegians, they took the field in Marbea, Spain before their first World Cup qualifying game against mighty Gibraltar.

Which it turns out is more than just a rock. Raj. The mighty jib. Yeah, they've got a football team too. And the Norwegians trotted out for warmups onto the field in that game, wearing t-shirts that said, human rights, respect on and off the pitch. And then the very next day, Germany followed suit before their home game against Iceland. The starters lined up pre-game with human rights spill out in big, white, block letters.

he almost looked hand-painted, splashed across black t-shirts. T-shirts are, I mean, look, I guess that's something. Yeah, think of T-shirts as football's factory setting when it comes to statements of any kind. That's where they like to locate their activism, their protest. That's become the norm. But as the tournament grew closer, the journalists started to ask the managers, the teams, the players,

questions, uncomfortable questions about how they would actually approach Qatar. There was really a lot of silence. Which meant that the one man who did not hold back thundered like a biblical prophet in the book of Jeremiah, especially because he happened to be one of football's most cantankerous oracles. Alexei Lalas? No, Tommy. I am talking about Dutch national team manager Louis Van Gogh, Lvj, really a legendary coach, a gent who's won it all, the Champions League, titles at the biggest clubs in Europe.

Yes, as he's aged, he admittedly has morphed a little bit into that wacky uncle who turns up at Thanksgiving. You all know the type, the one who just dips his turkey straight into the gravy boat repeatedly, unapologetically. Please God, don't let that be a metaphor for something else. No metaphor. In fact, I'm sure the Dutch have a really long compound noun for double dipping. And Van Gogh, age 71, he's back managing his home nation, the Netherlands. And in March of this year, during a press conference, head of the Dutch game with Denmark, the man we call LVG,

was asked about Qatar hosting the World Cup, and he said this. I think that belagliq that we in a land going to play. Rud, can you help me out with what the notorious LVG was saying there? My Dutch is not what it used to be. A bit rusty, Tommy. Yeah, a little bit. Well, let me tell you,

LVG, he just completely and utterly emptied the clip, saying, quote, I think it's ridiculous that the World Cup is there. We're playing in a country that FIFA says they want to develop football there. That's bullshit. But it doesn't matter. It's about money, about commercial interest, that. That matters in FIFA.

But he said it with a lot more. I love that. I love that honesty. So that started an avalanche of other managers and players speaking out, right? They're inspired by his straight talk as candor his courage. A Dutch David staring down a Swiss Goliath, right? Not quite Thomas. Damn it.

The messaging we saw from so many of the other powerhouse nations in the wake of this moment, it was a lot of we're working on a plan. We know it's in guitar. We know they've done some bad stuff. We're workshopping some ideas. Trust us. It's complex. It's going to take a little bit more time.

But we got this. All right. I'm a Democrat. I know this one. It's the old pretending it's not happening. and hoping it magically goes away strategy. I feel this in my bones. Which is how, I admittedly, I approach much of my life, Tommy.

I like to think of myself as half human and half ostrich. And among the nations that employed my strategy, England. They were adamant for the longest time that they were discussing, grappling with a complex plan. And one source told the independence Miguel Delaney, who's been quite dogged on this issue, that they were taking so long because they wanted to do something

with more authority than, quote, just wearing a t-shirt. Okay, I mean, look, it's a complex situation. That's understandable. It sounds promising. How did that turn out? England's captain, Harry Kane, along with the captain of nine other European nations,

wear an armband with a rainbow on it during World Cup matches, an armband that supports an anti-discrimination campaign called One Love, which it's a nice gesture for an incredibly worthy cause. But the captain's arm band, it just sort of rests on their bicep. For a nation that promised, remember, more than a t-shirt, they ended up with something that is quite literally less than a bloody t-shirt. So I think we both agree that the armband isn't all that inspiring,

but what did English team fans think? Fans and media were pretty quick to announce their underwhelmed displeasure. The football journalist Daniel Story wrote, Wearing an offshoot of a rainbow, makes it appear as less of a targeted statement towards Qatar's treatment of minorities and more of vague, wouldn't it be lovely if we all got along? What I'm taking away from this armband saga is that the bar was set relatively low. Did any countries decide to kind of baby step over that thing?

I love that, the armband saga, you make it sound like an old Viking tale that's been handed down over centuries. But Tommy, it will probably not surprise you at this point that the game's moral compass once again snaps towards Scandinavia. time we're talking about Denmark, who, along with their sponsor, the athletic brand Hummel, released muted monochromatic uniforms with the country's crest and sponsor signage, nearly invisible. They're going to wear this in every game, camouflaged unobtrusively into the background of their shirts. Hummel unveiled the jerseys with a statement on Instagram

in which they said they do not wish to be visible in a tournament that has cost thousands of lives. and they also released a third all black kit that they said will represent the color of morning adding we support the Danish national team all the way but that isn't the same as supporting Qatar as the host nation that shows some real thought I would say it's unambiguous it will be visible on every player on the team

throughout the game seems like we're getting better here we're seeing some progress yeah and the jerseys did set social media a light when they were announced late September so much so that Qatar moved quickly to clap back, saying that they disputed the claim that the tournament had cost thousands of lives. In fact, Reuters quoted Qatar's Supreme Committee saying the following, we wholeheartedly reject trivialising our genuine commitment to protect the health and safety of the 30,000 workers who built FIFA World Cup stadiums and other tournament projects.

I'm sorry, but is that quote saying, how dare you disrespect all the workers who didn't die? That's the best they got? Pretty much. I mean, a statement that would be farcically funny if it wasn't so incredibly tragic. And it's also a sign that guitar will not just hope people look the other direction, but they're actually willing to refute and lash out at anyone who does protest in any way. Look, I think we've covered the wardrobes in some depth. We've done the men in blazers red carpet here.

Is anyone doing anything outside of the uniform space? Well, let's go back to England for a moment here, Tommy. One thing the English Federation are doing that does have the potential to have substance. Maybe substance curious, you would say, is that they'll reportedly invite migrant workers who've helped build the stadiums and infrastructure into their camp to meet with and speak with their players.

The English FA has also vowed to lobby FIFA over new labour protection laws. Now I'm starting to feel a little hope here, Ratch. These players, the managers, everyone working in the clubs, they're human beings, right? They are going to be impacted by hearing directly from these workers, the people who have been harmed by this World Cup. These conversations, they'll stay with them.

This feels like real, actionable promise. It has some potential here. What about the US? What are our guys doing? Late October, US soccer, they quietly signed on to support Human Rights Watchers Fund that's pushing for $440 million in compensation for workers' families. And I spoke to the comms team at US Socky, and they tell me that like England, They plan to connect with migrant workers.

They've got a host of tactics, to be honest. They've worked to ensure that the hotels and vendors in which a team is staying in Qatar will follow the labor reforms, which will also get into later in this episode. They're also taking steps to support women and LGBTQ fans who travel to Qatar to support the team by including LGBTQ branding at the fan parties

that they traditionally host the night before every game. Basically, a series of potential laden gestures. So a few hopeful signs. It seems like a lot of these teams are really performing a balancing act. They know they can't be seen as doing nothing, but they also don't want to piss off the Qatari government. They don't want to piss off FIFA. I guess I just can't decide if they deserve credit for trying or criticism for taking so long and taking such incremental steps, if we're being honest.

Look, Tommy, it's true. This is complex. And football federations are by nature a conservative bunch. So this is what we are going to see. really a lot of small nibbles, inferences in the right direction. Look, we're doing stuff and what the federations decide

and what the actual individual players end up doing. That could be so much more, but we're not going to know until a ball is kicked. In my heart, I would love it if it was an American player taking that next step, a player from the nation I love so much. I want so badly to see a meaningful response.

and I believe that this squad and know them so well. So many of them are bright, young, socially conscious players. But until they arrive and Avengers assemble in Qatar, all we can do is wait and see. Look, follow through is everything,

but what you just described is a hell of a lot better than where we were when we started doing this podcast. So I'll take it for now. I won't get my hopes up too high. That's the one thing that sports fans like us

love to do. We love to hang our unfounded hopes on our favorite teams. and then they crush us. So true. World Corrupt is brought to you by Athletic Greens. Raj, we've been doing this podcast for five weeks now, and if there's one thing you know about me,

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Again, that's athletic greens.com slash world to take ownership over your health and pick up the ultimate daily nutritional insurance. Ponce. If there is one thing we wanted this podcast to be at the outset is a call to action. So now we want to pivot into this idea that we as fans have agency. We can make a difference here through our own activism. You mean beyond my usual curly up and a little ball and carrying in the corner, Tommy? We can do that too. But I want to warn listeners in advance. This is the hard part. There is no silver bullet when it comes to activism. You don't just sign Erling Holland and all your social justice problems are solved. That unstoppable terminator of a Norwegian striker, a gent known as the Nordic Meat Shield, a bloke who's addicted to scoring goals from Manchester City. You're telling me, Tommy,

there's no activist equivalent to that. The Nordic Meat Shield. That is incredible. Sadly, no, there is no activist Meat Shield. And if we wait for one, or if we invest too much hope in anyone individual, we're just destined to be disappointed. I saw this happen with my old boss, Barack Obama, In 2008, the votes had barely been counted when the pundits started to write articles like, Will Obama's election end racism? Did they call him the Illinois, Mitchell? We still have time. President Obama, who's really more of a technical wingback type.

Also fancied himself from a free kit within 30 yards. But hold on, Tommy. Did you just say, end racism? Are you taking the piss? I feel pretty safe saying that no one election or a single person can have raised more than 200 years of history. Change doesn't happen overnight. And change doesn't happen because of any one individual.

It comes through sustained focus from all of us. That's true in politics. It's true with FIFA and with the human rights challenges around this World Cup. The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards hashtags. Or something like that. And occasionally the arc snaps back, hits you in the face and you're stuck talking about Donald Trump for six years. But again, I digress. The first step in our process to try to figure out how to write the wrongs from this World Cup, though, is to listen to the people who are actually hurt.

And that's why we reached out to Malcolm Bidali. Malcolm's an incredible bloke. He's a Labour rights activist from Kenya. He spent several years working in guitar as a security guard. And while he was there, he started a document the conditions, started a blog about them under a suit in him until the post got popular and he was outed. And then Malcolm was arrested without charges. He was interrogated. He was imprisoned and ultimately deported.

Why I migrated is not so different from like why other people migrated, you know, by just trying to find a better life. I used a recruitment agency and I paid $1,200 both times. Not me personally. Like my mom, she's supported me like from way back, you know. Now, Raj, Malcolm may have paid a princely sum to get to Qatar, but the conditions he found once he arrived could not have been further from the luxury cosmopolitan image of Doha the Qatar likes to project in the media.

People see Qatar as, you know, with all the high-res and skyscrapers, but they're actually like slums and places where we didn't even imagine would exist in Qatar. So we had like cramped living conditions and you find like one room, one tiny room, you fit in like six, eight, ten, twelve people depending on, you know, the size of the room. and there is no sense of privacy at all, and you also have mould on the walls, bed bugs obviously on the bed. No one should have to live like that, Raj.

But especially not in Qatar, where, as we talked about in previous episodes, the actual Qatari citizens are some of the richest people in the world per capita because of Qatar's tremendous oil and gas resources. I remember when the Emir of Qatar brought six Greek islands back in 2013. I don't know, maybe only by five islands and use the savings to build decent housing. I like this brainstorm.

Or maybe rent out one of your islands for a couple hours. Thomas, are you pitching me on one of your timeshare Ponzi schemes again? Where are we going with this, mate? Let's get back to Malcolm, who, for the crime of blogging about his own life, was even put in solitary confinement, which many experts argue is a form of torture. Solitary confinement was tiny room, no windows, come around the ceiling, mattress on the floor. It was just like disorienting because they would something.

sometimes turn up the thermostat. They would mess with the thermostat. So sometimes it was really hot, sometimes really cold. You have no sense of time. Basically, they just disoriented you. We asked Malcolm what he wants World Cup fans to know about his experience and that of countless other migrant workers in Qatar. This World Cup was only made possible through the efforts, the hard labour and the sacrifices of migrant workers. They are the ones who are living away like under the sun, you know, in dire conditions and they managed to build all this infrastructure, all this amenities, all this, basically everything you see like a migrant truck was involved there. As human beings, we could try to be more proactive and be more involved

in these stories, in this human beings. And we should strive to hold the government of Qatar accountable, the people who make the decisions. And also we should be vigilant, not just during the World Cup, but also after. Qatar knows that the World Cup is happening, whether we like it or not, and there's nothing we can do about it. So they can do pretty much what they want, which is very scary. I believe things will get much worse because of the spotlight will decrease significantly. So that's really the key point here, Raj. It is too late to prevent the World Cup from happening in Qatar. But when the games are over, the damage doesn't go away. Life doesn't magically get better for these migrant workers. So the question is, how do we use this period of acute attention on the World Cup to push for changes and to help people now?

And to try and answer that question, we've interviewed a slough of brilliant people from some of the leading human rights organizations around the world. And Tommy, you know, I realize I've never known what the right collective now for that is. Is it a swore, a shoal, a pride? A murder of crows? I don't know. Too on the nose there. Sorry. It's a gaggle. Let's say a gaggle. And in previous episodes, you have. heard from Michael Page at Human Rights Watch. You heard from Nick McGeehan at Fair Square. And today we're here from May Romano's of Amnesty International. Now, all these organizations have spent years documenting and publicizing the treatment of migrant workers in the Gulf. And May told us

Qatar did make some changes to its labor practices. Eight years into this, Qatar finally agreed to sign this agreement with the international labor organization saying we're going to reform the system. We're going to get rid of this system. Migrant workers can leave the country without the permission of their employer. They can change jobs too. We have a new minimum wage, $275. We have also these new courts, labor courts. If you are not paid, you go to the court three weeks. You have your judgment. If the company did not pay you, this is a fund we created and the fund will pay you. And I think since then we have started to see some improvement. But while the legal framework is better, sadly, the enforcement of these changes remain very weak, meaning that abuses continue to take place.

Malcolm Bedali, he agreed. On paper, they have made changes, but in reality, it's still the same, if not worse, nothing has changed. And the Qatari government is hoping that nobody even talks about these issues. In fact, they initially tried to impose a series of restrictions on journalists covering the World Cup that included banning international TV crews from filming where migrant workers live, and they even threatened news outlets with criminal and civil liability if they produced reports, quote, offensive to Qatari culture, Raj. So basically, the message is do our PR or go home.

So much for recording episode six of this bad boy in Doha, right? Though I should note, Raj, the guardian who broke the story about all these press restrictions and so many other stories about this World Cup, later reported that Qatar amended its film permit application and relaxed some of these rules. These aren't empty threats, and in 2015, two BBC reporters, they were arrested for investigating the treatment of migrant workers, as were two Norwegian journalists just last year. Now, luckily, there are still journalists doing courageous reporting on guitar, and even more importantly, we all have a voice. We can help get the word out ourselves. It's why we wanted to do this series in the first place. We have to use this moment, while the whole world is watching to put as much pressure as. possible on FIFA and Qatar to write these wrongs.

That's why many of the human rights groups we talked with are leading a campaign called the Pay Up FIFA Initiative. Here's Nick McGeehan from Fair Square. There's a campaign going on just now to try and get FIFA to provide $440 million in compensation to the families of workers who died and to other workers who lost their livelihoods in Qatar. What could be a better outcome from this really pretty rotten situation than to actually be able to go to some of those families and put money in their pockets, get their kids back into school, make sure that some woman doesn't have to go up at three in the morning and sweet roads outside her house, people can tweet about it, you know, ask their broadcasters to

try and raise these issues and talk about these issues when the tournament's on. Just to be clear, we're the first ones to admit that hashtag activism feels small in the face of these enormous challenges, but if enough people call out FIFA and the football associations that remain silent, they might actually live. listen. We made some social media graphics that listeners can use to help spread the word. Raj and I will tweet them out, we'll post them on Instagram, and you can find them on the crooked media website. That said, changing labor practices in Qatar itself will be a lot more difficult. Now, in fairness to the Emir of Qatar, a major obstacle for him is the fact that a lot

of Qatari citizens don't want things to change. I'm sorry, Tommy, did we just hear you say, in fairness to the Emir? Yes, I got a all expenses paid trip. to Doha like my guy, Tom Brady. And look, now I see things clearly. Oh, I'm sorry, Tommy. Did you just compare yourself to Tom Brady? I thought I could just slip that one in there. I guess not. Okay, this is a deep cut, Raj. Last year, Tom posted this bizarre, highly produced video about his family trip to Qatar on his Instagram page. He was talking about hanging out with the Amir's sister. And it hurt my heart. No, they call him the good Tommy. That's all I'm saying over there. And it also turns out that the vacation in Doha, maybe it's not great for your marriage.

Too soon, Raj, but also duly noted. The point I was trying to make before you rudely interrupted my fantasy about vacationing with the Brady family is that even if leaders try to make these kinds of systemic changes, it takes time and constant attention to implement them because there will be resistance from people, resistance from institutions that just don't want to change. And speaking of people and institutions that don't want to change. change. FIFA's also announced that cities and stadiums must meet human rights requirements as part of the due diligence around the next World Cup, 2026, which remember listeners will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Naftoland. It's good to hear that FIFA is diligent about something other than collecting bribes. I guess we'll find out. And these changes are obviously too late for Qatar, but they are important. And the real test will be whether FIFA actually

abides by them, because we know that Saudi Arabia is already planning to spend $40 billion to bid for the 2030 World Cup in a joint effort with Egypt and Greece. Yeah, Raj, it's safe to say that if Saudi Arabia in Egypt are awarded the World Cup, the new FIFA human rights considerations are as worthless as Tom Brady's promise to never leave New England. Tommy, don't you have one of those therapists? sponsors on some of your many podcasts because just saying you might want to start using it. It's not a bad idea, Raj. Talking to therapy, Tommy, let's get into it here a little bit and discuss how we're feeling about this World Cup.

We're nearly finished with five episodes of this podcast. It's really been a journey on which we both set out together to learn more about this competition, the way it was awarded, the very real human cost at which it's come. So Tommy, let me ask you this. How are you feeling? Other than a bit like Matt Damon and Robin Williams on the couch right now? It's not your fault, Raj. It's not your fault.

I'm not going to let a single 90s movie reference go and spoken on this podcast. Okay, some positives first. I'm a positive guy. Please. I feel so much better informed now about the treatment of these migrant workers and the true human cost of letting Qatar host these games. I know you signed up to do this podcast with me because you thought, oh, this foreign policy nerd will know this stuff already.

be like a cheat sheet. But I truly learned a lot from all the people who agreed to talk with us. And, you know, I'm so grateful to them for their time. But it also, it just made me angrier about this whole situation. I also feel grateful to all the people who have listened to this podcast so far and who have told us how much they have been struggling with all the same issues. And look, I'm amazed by the fact that people actually want to listen to us, work through this stuff in real time.

I didn't see a single tweet that was like, shut up, watch the games, you know, like stick the politics, you loser. or at least, you know, not from people who didn't already think I was a loser. Didn't want to mention it, but that one tweet from your mom, surprisingly harsh. She can be brusk. But look, I'm also excited that the campaign to get these workers and their families, some sort of financial compensation seems to be gaining steam.

I really do think that is achievable. Now, okay, reality check. Like, what is daunting and what will probably keep both of us on the psychiatrist's couch for some time now is the reality that sports are big business and only getting bigger. And the more money that washes into these games, the bigger the TV deals, the brighter the stage, the more it will attract exactly the kinds of people who put profits ahead of human lives. So that is what we're up against.

Over to you, Raj. Can I be your Dr. Melfi to your Tony Soprano? Those goddamn ducks! Here's what I will say, Tommy. I've always believed that for me, what's so great about Spelphi's. sports in general. And football in particular is that they act as a mirror

that holds up a reflection to the world, the cultures, the politics that surround it. And honestly, I've always loved that. I naively thought that was a great thing. In 1996, England,

which had been so down, so lost, a bit like now. But back in 1996, they hosted the European Football Championships and it was just phenomenal to witness the nation before our eyes almost learned to love itself again.

It was a summer in which Cool Britannia was proclaimed, possibly the apex of joy in post-Apture Britain, time when incredible British culture was suddenly just surging all over the world. Roger, is this another story about Oasis, man? I'm only trying to keep them for my other podcast, slide away today. But you also saw this two years later, 1998 World Cup in France.

We all watched a multiracial team known as the Black Blanc and Burr. It was dominated by stars from former French colonies who was Lillian Taran, born in Guadalupe, Christian Carambu from New Caledonia, Patrick Vieira, Senegal, and of course the great Zinadin, a born in France,

to Algerian parents. They delivered victory before a delirious home crowd, the very same time Le Pen, the far right were trying to spread their poisonous venom and this team

this team showed both the world and France a new face a proudly multicultural nation that could be the best in the world similar thing

happened in Germany 2006 a World Cup that's often viewed as modern Germany's coming out party some 17 years after the fall of the Berlin

wall they put on a competition that was So joyous, a unified Germany showed itself ecstatically to the world. I love that story. I'm no longer looking back in anger. I'm feeling better already, Raj.

Oh, as Liam would say, it's getting better, man. But that was the good news. The bad news, brace yourself, Tommy, what I've also come to learn, at least since 2010, it said it also works the other way. And as our world becomes ever more chaotic, dark and full of terrors, We get to watch those horrors play out in front of us. Football, yes, it's still a mirror. But what we now glimpse in its reflection is become abhorrent, Russia 2018. Qatar 2020.

And when Qatar's Amir thanked Vladimir Putin a few weeks ago for what he said was Russia's support organizing the upcoming World Cup, these allegiances, this propaganda, these headlines, that's what makes the cognitive dissonance ahead of this World Cup just so incredibly difficult. That awareness is what they call progress, Raj. Yeah, that is true. And by the way, I also have to try and force myself to believe in the general goodness of humanity.

I do. I do. And we are seeing glimmers of hope. I mean, mayors across France have said that they're not going to hold the big watch parties in town squares this World Cup and the local authority in London quickly followed suit. So we'll be deprived of all those television shots and social media videos are people flinging beers into the air every time Kareembeenz Amar or Harry Kane scores,

which I think is really the point of footballer beers in the air. But ultimately, these are small gestures in which can only take a modicum of solace. But there is another item with somewhat dulls my perpetually razor-sharp anxiety and that. That's the knowledge that in moments like these, Athletes in history have worked out how to seize the spotlight, to seize the moment and created enormous social change. You mentioned in the first episode of this podcast about the legendary US track and field star Jesse Owens,

winning four Olympic medals and then delivering a big American FU to Hitler at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Tommy, Muhammad Ali, Arthur Ash, Billy Jean King, and it's not just American athletes of yours, This World Cup, Rahim Sterling will lead the English attack. This is an incredible gent who recently confronted the entire nation

about the racism that has stained British football since its inception. And he's not alone. Marcus Rashford may be in a bit of a slump on the field at the moment, but Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United Stryker, took on the entire British government during the pandemic to ensure that food insecure children were able to eat at school. And Thomas, it's these people. who give me so much hope as we head into this World Cup.

And as our old friend Morgan Freeman says, Tommy, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. I love that much. So me and hope, we go way back. It has a layered meaning. There's a literal definition, obviously. But I love that story you just told about the French mayors

kind of leading the charge here. Because it reminds me of the time when I was working for Barack Obama in Iowa back in 2007. We were getting our butts kicked in the primary by a lot of different people, by the way. And we did something that honestly I felt was stupid at the time, which was instead of making yard signs for people that said, Obama, like, you know, the name of the guy that we want you to vote for, the sign said hope. And I bring that up because it was a lesson for me when it worked,

when people loved them, when it inspired people, about never underestimating the power of hope. No matter how bleak things get, we have to try to give people some inspiration. something to believe in. And so, look, I hate the fact that we put so much pressure on these players. It shouldn't all be on Megan Rapino and Rahim Sterling to lead while these big corporations and governments fall on their faces.

Amen. But when you hear Megan Rapino talking about doing the right thing when it's hard, when I hear you talk about the courage that Rahim Sterling showed in confronting racism, I feel like there is potential there to create the spark that leads to something so much bigger, some real lasting change. And Raj, before we go, we should mention that we will be recording a sixth episode of World Corrupt at some point during this tournament. So this is not a goodbye. It's just see you when something politically heinous and humanly despicable probably happens. So before we sign off and head into what we firmly established on this podcast and must continue

to acknowledge it can't be repeated enough is a World Cup soaked in blood. But I do want to leave you on this, our final episode before the tournament kicks off. With one of the crumbs of hope I just spoke about, part of a video, the Australian national team released just about a week ago in which the Aussie players, the soccer roos as they know, and stared directly into the camera and confronted the very issues we've spoken about over the first five episodes. It's proof that the athletes in Qatar are above all human beings and that the empathy, along with our action, it may lead to change going forward. And with that, I'll leave you with one word. Courage. We have learned the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar has resulted in the

suffering and in the harm of countless of our fellow workers. These migrant workers who have suffered are not just numbers. Like the migrants that have shaped our country, and our football, they possess the same courage and determination to build a better life. As players, we fully support the rights of the LGBTI Plus people, but in Qatar people are not free to love the person that they choose. Addressing these issues is not easy and we do not have all the answers. We stand with Fief Pro, the Building and Woodworkers International and the International Trade Union Confederation seeking to embed reforms and establish a lasting legacy in Qatar.

This must include establishing a migrant resource centre, effective remedy for those who have been denied their rights, and the decriminalisation of all same-sex relationships. These are the basic rights that should be afforded to all and will ensure continued progress in Qatar. This is how we can ensure a legacy that goes well beyond the final whistle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. One that football can truly be proud of. One that football can truly be proud of. One that football can be truly proud of. One that football can truly be proud of. one that football can truly be proud of.

World Corrupt is an original podcast collaboration from Men and Blazers and Crooked Media's Pod Save the World. Alongside Roger Bennett, I'm your host, Tommy Vitor. The executive producers and writers of World Corrupt are me, Roger Bennett, my great friend Tommy Vitor and Men in Blazers, Jonathan Williamson, who incredibly edited and sound design the episodes, It's been like Phil Collins drumming and singing at the very same tone. A talented band.

From the crooked media side, our executive producers are Michael Martinez, Sandy Gerard, and Giancarlo Bizarro. Our producers are Ryan Wallerston and Haley Muse. And our associate producer is Saul Rubin. For Men in Blazers, our producers Miranda Davis and Martin S. This episode was fact-checked by Nikki Schener Bradford, music by Veselius Photopoulos. With editing assistants from Nick Furr, short. Additional production support from Crooked Media's Zuri Irvin, Kyle Seglan and Ari Schwartz. And Men in Blazers mix this gurude.

Special thanks to Crooked Media's Julia Beach, Amelia Montuth and Matt DeGroot. As well as Men in Blazers, Scott Debson, Michael Milberger, and Alex Sale for their promotional, social support and love.