A Mexican soldier stands guard outside a stadium in the city of Santiago de Queretaro during a soccer match between Mexico and Iceland on Wednesday.Raquel Cunha/Reuters
Holding international sporting events in countries effectively run by drug cartels is always a dicey proposition.
Arriving in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Summer Games in 2016, visitors were immediately struck by the airport presence of machine-gun-toting army personnel. There were enough of them to fight a small war. There were even more downtown.
The intent, of course, was to make visitors feel safe. The cartels seemed to accept that over the fortnight that the Games were held, they’d be on their best behaviour. When the Olympics were finished, things would revert to normal, with blind eyes turned in the usual direction.
Which brings me to the FIFA World Cup, being co-hosted by Mexico, the U.S. and Canada and scheduled to kick off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. There was always a certain amount of trepidation among FIFA officials about holding matches in Mexico, given the control drug cartels have over vast areas of the country. But they were assured there wouldn’t be a problem.
Yes, well, so much for assurances.
FIFA president has ‘complete confidence’ in Mexico to host World Cup games despite cartel violence
FIFA is said to be “monitoring” events in Mexico following the recent explosion of violence there incited by the killing of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes (El Mencho to his friends) – leader of the country’s powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel – by government security forces. In response, El Mencho’s supporters set off fires and explosions in several parts of the country. Tourists in popular resort areas were advised to shelter in place. Flights in and out of Puerto Vallarta were cancelled by several airlines.
A bus set on fire by drug cartels in response to a police operation to arrest a high-priority security target in Zapopan, Mexico, on Sunday.ULISES RUIZ/AFP/Getty Images
As pre-World Cup publicity goes, this is a disaster. But then, the entire run-up to this iteration of soccer’s grand tournament has been pretty much a fiasco.
Not that FIFA is a stranger to dealing with debacles. When others don’t create them, FIFA will. But events enveloping this year’s World Cup surely are serious enough to make even an organization known for blundering through its existence unburdened by scruples or morals, concerned about the fate of its Crown jewel.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum can offer the promise things will be okay, but for many it won’t be enough. One can’t begin to imagine the military presence we will see on the streets. The entire Mexican army could well be divided among the three cities where matches are set to be held.
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Still, if you were on the fence about going to Mexico to take in a game or two, what are you thinking now? Almost certainly, thousands are reconsidering their plans. Just like thousands have decided not to go to the U.S. thanks to that unpredictable and hateful creature, Donald Trump.
Mr. Trump has decided to not only build a wall along the U.S.’s southern border, but to build a wall around his entire country. Getting into the U.S. gets harder by the day. Iran, Haiti, Senegal and the Ivory Coast, four countries competing in the World Cup, face full or partial travel bans to America. I’d hazard to guess that it’s going to be hard for any visitor from Africa to get into the States for matches.
Federal agents detain a person during an ICE operation in Minneapolis, Minn.Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Then, of course, if you are Mexican you surely are not going to try and go to the U.S. for fear of being arrested by ICE and thrown in a detention centre. If you have a conscience, would you go to a country where innocent civilians are shot and killed by ICE officers for doing nothing more than protesting their actions?
It’s so bad, even the disgraced former head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, is urging soccer fans to boycott the U.S. Meantime, a group of cross-party MPs from Britain is urging FIFA to expel the U.S. for conduct unbecoming. (See killing of innocent civilians, apprehending leaders of sovereign nations, threatening to annex islands belonging to fellow NATO countries).
You can tell the level of concern World Cup organizers have about the potential of Mr. Trump completely screwing this massive undertaking up by the degree to which FIFA President Gianni Infantino is prepared to disgrace and humiliate himself in the service of the U.S. leader. First it was the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize he presented Mr. Trump. Then he partnered with the President on his phony, ridiculous Board of Peace. Who knows if the FIFA boss has also thrown in a foot massage or two?
And for what? The hope Mr. Trump will be on his best behaviour in the coming months? Fat chance.
Of course, the show must go on and it will. But it’s impossible to say what this World Cup will ultimately look like. Canada is scheduled to host 13 games between Toronto and Vancouver. As things stand, it’s not hard imagining this country hosting more. Maybe many more.