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.”
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