Comments on: Freddie Kanoute Goes All Political

By: Rob Lee

Rob Lee — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:23:19 +0000

WEll done to Kanoute. Footballers are human beings, they have emotions too. He bought a lot of smiles for a lot of palestinian children who are being killed by israelis.

this gesture would at least bring a smile to the poor people of palestine

well done kanoute, you are a great footballer, but a great man!

By: kirbynyc

kirbynyc — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:44:02 +0000

By the way, here are players who are far smarter then Kanoute and who actually do great things using their name and popularity to improve lives of children living in misery acvross the world.

Check out this charity game All stars for hope to be played in June in NY at giants stadium with some of the best players in the world.
Great video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXO14kbCiRk

Website is nice as well: http://www.allstarsforhope.org

By: kirbynyc

kirbynyc — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:40:15 +0000

many of you clearly are ignorant about th esituation in the middle east, and won’t try to educate you.
Yes Palestine has a government that they have elected democratically. WHo the people of palestine has elected? Hammas, a group recognized as a terrorist group by the UN, EU, USA…basically the world. ISrael is not fighting the palestinians but Hammas. As a matter of fact, Hamais is financed by Iran whose president is only interested in the destruction of the state of Israel. Unfortunately for the Palestinian people, their wife and their children, they are suffering from the consequences of their democratic vote to deliberately place a terrorist group at their lead. Even Arafat, well known terroist in his ealrier years has done his best to get read of the Hammas. Fata, and mahmound abbas, have been fighting hammas…

I’m also “amazed” to see people in the street angry at israel fighting terrorist, but no on e seems concern that israel has received over 3000 rockets on their civilians this year!! Well, maybe these people are also secretly supporting al-qaeda actions then, another terrorist group. I’m not american and love when american are saying that israel is not a state because they have”invaded another country! Sorry, i ofrgot that America was free of human life when discovered…MAybe the NAvajo or Aplche tribes should start launching rockets on US states…

ANyway, Kanoute is an idiot> his shirt said palestine with some other mentions in arabic which I have no clue about…He plays for a club, reprensent the owners of the club and their fans who pays for tickets to go to the game. Not sure people who do not agree him are happy to pcontribute to this guy salary!!

By: Nada

Nada — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:05:05 +0000

Stacey and Yad, thank you for your comments, unfortunately anthony doesn’t know what he’s talking about when he says Palestine is not a country, i suppose my ancestors lived in a nameless territory then..
the fact that the word PALESTINE instigates such a debate about politics and sports mixed/should not be mixed obviously implies something political with the current events going on there and i can see why people are against this freedom of expression and deem it inappropriate, but it’s not hurting anyone now, is it

By: Johnny

Johnny — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 19:58:24 +0000

…be excellent to each other

By: wienstein

wienstein — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 10:14:18 +0000

All Moslem are brotherhood.. Thats only the way He want to say Love for His brother and family at Palestine.
ALLAHU AKBAR..!

By: Tamim

Tamim — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:03:40 +0000

avtually anthony it wasn’t a statement, it was one word only, if you want to be technical!!!

what about a player who wave the flag of brazil or sth after he scores isn’t this political? same issue here?

and come on, since you are from spain and you say politics shouldn’t interfere with football. barcelona fans made a sign “catalunia isn’t spain” and this can be regarded as a national security issue!!

By: Anthony

Anthony — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:36:10 +0000

Yad, look at it this way. In Spain there are many regions who wish to separate, Cataluña, La Basque, Galicia, (the list is quite extensive) and they have their own governing bodies, does that officially make them countries now? The answer is no.

It is obvious that Kanouté’s aim was to raise awareness about Palestine and shift support to them, that is why I said it might be offensive to Jewish players (if any present).

Like I said, it wasn’t offensive, it was merely a political statement, which shouldn’t have been said because it breaks a rule of the game, the same as if I went up to another player on a breakaway and slidetacked him, took him down but totally missed the ball, it is a straight red card because that’s a rule of the game, simple as.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:31:18 +0000

Matt, if there is no need for rules then why even create them at all? Should we just all live in a free for all?

Stacey, before I make my point I want you to know that I am not Israeli or Jewish for that matter nor am I Palestinian or Muslim, I am a Spaniard born In Sevilla, now living in Toronto, Canada and do not have affiliation to either of these groups. I actually sympathize with the Palestinian people in the current affairs within the Middle East, but this is about a footballing issue, not a political one. (Some may say it’s the same thing)…

Palestine officially is NOT a country, they are governed by Hamas but are a territory of Israel. Israel is and has been a country since 1947 when the U.N. granted the land to the Jewish people who suffered not only in WWII but throughout much of history. Not saying it was right, but if you look at history because you’re getting technical, so must I. Before the British ruled much of the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire did, therefore meaning there was never an official country called Palestine. About your point on free speech, you cannot apply US laws to this matter because the American system is a very hypocritical one, you must apply the FIFA rules because when you step out on the pitch you must abide by their rulings. Think of FIFA as the USA and the RFEF in this situation as the state, New York for example. There are two sets of rules in play here and therefore the RFEF and FIFA can both separately charge him or the RFEF might not and FIFA may, both governing bodies will use their own discretion in regards to the issue.

It’s not so much that his message was offending, because to me it wasn’t, it is the fact that is displayed a political message when FIFA ruling specifically says that any players cannot commit such actions. Its like me going out and stealing your wallet, under the law of the country we live in it is a felony, therefore I am subject to punishment.

By: Yad

Yad — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:19:44 +0000

Thanks for correcting Anthony stacey.
Thats exactly my point. Did he say i hate israel or kill someone. He just had a name on his shirt. What if i wear a shirt that says monaco? You aint gonna fine me, are you anthony??
What do you call the place that has a border with israel and has some issues with them?
Let me answer it for you.
Its named palestine.
They have their own government.
Does that make them a country now??
And how can you say the world palestine promotes politics or racism for that matter. If it said free palestine or down with israel. Now that would be political. And that jew player on field can score a goal and show a shirt saying israel. But if he is not israeli citizen, he should be fined. Just like kanoute.