great stuff: football and international politics

[Victor Steinbok]

I suspect, linguists may have something to say about this debate.

http://goo.gl/LXeEU
> With FIFA vice president Prince Ali Bin Hussein of Jordan and
> International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat looking
> on, Richards repeatedly reminded his audience that the world had
> England to thank for soccer.
>
> "England gave the world football. It gave the best legacy anyone could
> give. We gave them the game," said Richards, who is also a Football
> Association board member. "For 50 years, we owned the game ... We were
> the governance of the game. We wrote the rules, designed the pitches
> and everything else.
>
> "Then, 50 years later, some guy came along and said you're liars and
> they actually stole it. It was called FIFA. Fifty years later, another
> gang came along called UEFA and stole a bit more."
>
> Hussein then reminded Richards that there was still a debate over
> whether the Chinese or the English invented the game, but Richards
> leapt to the defense of his country.
>
> "It started in Sheffield 150 years ago ...," Richards said, his voice
> rising. "We started the game and wrote the rules and took it the
> world. The Chinese may say they own it but the British own it and we
> gave it to the rest of the world."
> ...
> "Sir Dave is attending the conference in a private and personal
> capacity and his comments in no way reflect the views of the Premier
> League," the league said in a statement to The Associated Press.

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