Grant Wahl Knows Where the Stories Are

In the last post on this blog, I despaired that no journalist is asking about religious and homophobic discrimination within the Women's World Cup squads. 

(By the way, that post had a record number of views.) 

Grant Wahl however has asked the important questions and put out a great article. 

That's not Michael Bradley or that dude from Midnight Oil. That's the best soccer journalist out there. 

He gets quotes from Nigeria's Manager and from an anonymous team source. Edwin Okon said what is about the best thing he can say, claiming a "Don't ask, don't tell policy." Anything else could launch a criminal investigation back home. Wahl makes it clear that there is much more than homophobic exclusion at stake. The law in Nigeria includes a penalty of fourteen years in prison. 

In an incredible series of Twitter updates, Wahl confirmed interest among Nigerian soccer officials in hiring Pia Sundhage after the Cup. Sundhage is openly lesbian. That is an interesting story. 

Wahl has appeared on Fox as a correspondent but I've seen more of this sort of story covered on his twitter feed @GrantWahl and his Sports Illustrated columns, which are lately being compiled as part of an excellent series called Upfront Offside. There you can catch Laurent Dubois, Jean Williams, Brenda Elsey, Jennifer Doyle, Shireen Ahmed, Joshua Nadel and Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff. (Once you read them, you will understand why a list like this makes me acts like a total nerd fan.) 

Wahl frames his discussion in terms of fairness to the players. That is completley legit. I think this issue is also relevant when discussing performance. 

Here is the moment to talk about homophobia and a national team

Alexi Lalas very often talks about attitude and mindset when he describes what it takes to win. (This is considered a very American thing, though I certainly hear a lot from British pundits about "belief".) 

Fox also has had a problem with running out things to say because they have so many analysts on at once. 

If you have already said "I love set pieces." this session, why not say something new like: 

"It is always going to be hard to develop a women's team with the threat of fourteen years of prison hanging over the heads of players." 

Because that is true. 

Or 

"If they are interested in hiring Pia Sundhage, who has a proven record, they will have to face the fact that Sundhage is openly lesbian and would face jail time in their country." 

Because that is true. 

Or 

"African teams need to face the best opponents possible between tournaments but that won't be possible if their laws threaten to jail gay and lesbian players." 

Because that is true. 

Or 

"These Nigerian women run the risk of being accused of being lesbians. This is used to shame women all over the world. We are learning that there is no shame. However, these women are heroes because they risk more than being bullied. They risk fourteen years of jail when they play for their country. They are heroes." 

Because that is true. 

 

 Creative fans can praise and blame without waiting on anyone in media. Just like soccer fans went around sports media and developed their own ways of watching soccer and discussing it away from the Jim Romes and the Pat Buchanans of the world. We can praise heroic women like this Nigerian squad and blame everyone who threatens or ignores those threats. 

So, thank you Nigeria and Nigeria fans for livening up this tournament.