> Michel Platini, the banned former Uefa president and France football legend, has been detained in connection with a criminal investigation into alleged corruption relating to Fifa’s decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, French justice sources have confirmed.
Organized sports at the professional and international level have been in the business of sportwashing practically since their inception.
Do you sell tobacco that causes your users to die a painful and lingering death from cancer? No problem, sponsor one of the most famous vehicles in F1 history.
Are you leading a fascist state that will go on to murder six million Jews, homosexuals, Roma, and other "undesirables," not to mention plunging the world into war? No problem, host the Olympics, they'll gladly let you use it as a propaganda exercise.
But of course, if someone boycotts the Olympics, they are being "political." If someone raises their fist in protest, they are "besmirching the Olympics." if you aren't paying for it, you aren't allowed to exploit it.
What has changed since 1976 and 1936, respectively? Nothing.
Blatter and Platini are both facing a trial right now: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59133079
In 2019, Platini was detained over the awarding of the World Cup to Qatar: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jun/18/michel-plat...
> Michel Platini, the banned former Uefa president and France football legend, has been detained in connection with a criminal investigation into alleged corruption relating to Fifa’s decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, French justice sources have confirmed.