Dr. Salam Al Rabadi
Our contemporary reality has surpassed the classic standards that
characterize political, economic and cultural frameworks, as a result of the
highly complex nature of global dilemmas, for which solutions can no longer be
found through traditional sustainable governance concepts and mechanisms.
Therefore, based on this reality, the following problematic can be raised: Is
it possible to create a new cultural pattern at the level of sustainable
governance that helps create pressure and influence that is capable of facing
contemporary global dilemmas?
It seems clear that global issues in
their human, political and economic dimensions need a new cultural pattern, which
must be based on the following rules:
-
Changing the way we understand the power and
sovereignty of the state.
-
Work to find a tangible political influence.
-
Creating real and direct economic pressure.
-
Finding effective authority for the actors
individuals.
This
new pattern, which is based on the centrality of the individual,is not just a
pressure tool that replaces traditional forms of political expression only. should
be also a motivating tool that helps to realize that moral commitment is a very
urgent necessity, as the moral image and reputation has become one of the most
important fixed assets and the most sensitive of human and social capital.
Consequently, this requires the political and economic forces to re-evaluate
their policies in line with sustainable, more humane and transparent governance
(locally and globally).
To illustrate the extent of the ability
of individuals to bring about a kind of change that can be benefited from at
the level of sustainable governance, reference can be made to the global
influence of the Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo, which is considered a
model that confirms the ability of influential individuals to put many forces
in a position of accountability and responsibility. There are many
examples that confirm this, including:
1.
At the 2020 European Football Championship, Ronaldo, in a
press conference, removed the Coca-Cola bottle(the official sponsor of the
tournament) in front of him to encourage people to drink water to maintain
health. This led to a decrease in the value of the company's shares and
its exposure to losses amounting to about $4 billion.
2.
The shares of Manchester United suffered
financial losses as a result of the strongly critical statements of the
club’s management by Cristiano Ronaldo (in November 2022), not to mention the shaking of the club’s image
and reputation in front of the fans and sponsoring institutions. This led to
the club's owners announcing that the idea of selling the club is now among
their priorities.
3.
The value of Manchester United shares on the
stock exchange increased by approximately 212 million pounds sterling, as soon as
the contract with Cristiano Ronaldo was announced in August 2021.
4.
The island of Madeira, the birthplace of
Cristiano Ronaldo, was chosen as the “Best Island in Europe” between 2013 - 2021 (excluding 2015), in addition to the “The best island
destination for tourism in the world” between 2015 - 2021. This is due to the positive impact
of the player’s fame Portuguese on tourism. As it turns out that the time
period in which Madeira received these awards coincides with a significant
increase in the number of followers of CR7 on social media.
5.
The personal accounts of Cristiano Ronaldo are
the most influential and followed on social networking sites from the accounts
of governments, political leaders, or the accounts of companies and private
organizations. For example, by the end of November 2022, the number of Cristiano Ronaldo
followers has exceeded half a billion people on the Instagram platform only.
Based on this, and according to a
well-defined strategy, countries, the United Nations and all institutions and
organizations concerned with sustainable governance can cooperate with
Ronaldo (and all other influential individuals), by exploiting their influence
and influence on social networks in order to reach more sustainable governance. Including achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include achieving peace and
justice, building strong institutions, combating climate change, eliminating
poverty, reducing inequalities,..etc.
In this context, it seems that
what the forces of corruption and monopoly fear most now is confronting that
array of new standards that go beyond the monotony and ineffectiveness of
traditional political standards. So, if the political forces are unable
(or intentionally helpless) in confronting the influence of those forces,
individuals (as consumers, investors, and citizens) can do so in a practical
and more positive manner compared to what the political authorities can do or
perhaps unwilling to do.
Since social networks have become one of
the most important features of the current era in terms of cross-border
influence and pressure, this confirms the importance of benefiting from the
role of influential individuals at the level of the possibility of achieving
sustainable governance at all levels. Where, the influence
of these individuals will inevitably be an important part of the global
cultural, political and economic landscape in the future.
Consequently, within the framework of
the radical shifts taking place at the level of political standards and methods
(primarily the dominance of the ideology of media and fame), it is not enough
to use traditional sources to obtain influence. There are the soft
sources (so to speak); which has a great ability to direct. Here, football is
perhaps one of the areas most capable of making an impact on the global level.
In light of the foregoing, and based
on the highly complex cultural heritage that football bears in terms of the
wide interdependence between football and normative political and cultural
issues, not to mention the high frequency of geopolitical challenges between
countries. Hence here, perhaps many question marks should be raised about
whether there is still what can be called “pure sport” away from any
ideological hegemony, including the attempt to promote a cultural and political
agenda and even an attempt to impose it on all societies. This
is, in fact, what can be easily deduced by tracking all the cultural and
political problematic that accompanied Qatar's hosting of the World Cup in
November 2022.
In
sum, the geopolitical competition around football will continue to exist for
many considerations closely related to the structure of the international
system at the present moment, and the attempt of European countries, and the
West in general, to prove their position political and cultural, also their
economic capabilities.
Therefore, in the
midst of the demographic, economic and cultural uncertainties that surround
many features of global politics, which will certainly not only stop at the
political frontiers, but will inevitably reach the world of sports,
specifically in football. Here, based on
these developments, we must raise the following problematic:
-
What is the possibility of sustainable
governance at the global sports level and neutralizing it from political
influences?
-
To what extent can influential individuals
assume moral responsibility and adopt sustainable governance ideas, instead of
merging into a global investment and marketing pattern whose only purpose is to
achieve financial profits and spread a culture of objectification and
consumption?
