Because Fútbol

The whistle blows. The players run. The fans cheer. The world cup is well on its way. One billion people are watching. And many more dollars were spent.

Brazil is said to be the capital of football. It is also a country were healthcare, schools and public housing are in dire need of funds. Where the Amazon basin is being deforested at an alarming rate, its precious ecosystem destroyed in an infinitesimal fraction of the time it took to grow. And it is host to the world’s greatest sporting event.

The massive protests anteceding the cup are a testimony to the dire situation faced by many in the country. But it’s all good, according to the FIFA. People will make money. The investments will be recouped manifolds thanks to the boon of the tournament. All hail the sport!

Except that those who pay are not those who gain. The people pay. The sponsors reap the benefits. The enterprises associated with the event. Coca-cola. Heineken. McDonalds. And all the rest.

Little commerces are shut down or pushed out of the way as the big screens are set up. The official stands. With the official products. And the people who paid for it all stay at home, watching the games on their television, because there is no money left for tickets.

And as technology keeps on progressing, soon your TV or laptop or smartphone will be able to identify what you eat, and what you drink. And the screen will go blank if you don’t show it your VISA card. Or if it isn’t a SONY. “Please only watch matches on official equipment. Because Fuck you.”