Is football doomed?

Pollution is a part of modern life but whoever would have thought that the jolly sport of football would become polluted? Since `soccer' as they quaintly call it in the States, has been trying to hit the big time in the USA, we've seen the moral of a consumerist culture forced upon our beloved game. Has anyone noticed that in most of the World Cup games referees are clearly under instructions from FIFA to aggressively penalize robust body contact? They've been handing out yellow and red cards like confetti at an Italian wedding. It's disgusting.

Football is a body contact sport for goodness sake! What they are trying to do is sanitize it into something attractive for the average consumer to go to and stuff his face for two hours with hamburgers, french fries, fried chicken, ice cream, cola, tacos, pizzas. I think I'm going to be sick!

Long before the competition got under way FIFA was under some considerable pressure from U.S. TV companies to change the essential character of the game by playing four quarters instead of two halves. The idea was that with three breaks in play a lot more advertising time (and hamburgers) could be sold. This would be in line with the way American football is marketed. There are lots of breaks in play (for TV advertising). The effect of this has been the development of a game which is one of strategy rather than spontaneity and flow. This is in stark contrast with real football which thrives on those lovely latter qualities.

We have to remain on constant vigil against the onward march of global culture and mindless materialism otherwise our grandchildren will be in danger of inheriting a soul dead culture on a slowly dying planet. God forbid that should ever come to pass.

TONI R. S. CASH

Jakarta