Double standards at their best. Chelsea are in trouble without their owner, Newcastle coach refused to respond to Saudi Arabia executions as he was upset by loss

Double standards, hypocrisy, everyone can call it something else. But that’s exactly what we witnessed at the weekend when Chelsea and Newcastle took the field against each other. While the Blues are in trouble because of their Russian owner, no one at the Magpies was bemoaning the fact that Saudi Arabia has seen the highest number of executions in years.

Is it just football, just sport, politics doesn’t come into it? It doesn’t. It’s all intertwined. All the time. Moreover, dictators and dictatorial regimes that can afford it use sport to so-called “sportwashing”, where they use sport to improve their name in the eyes of the world public.

There are indeed many examples in Europe alone. In particular, there has been a lot of talk recently about Newcastle United, which, thanks to being bought by Saudi Arabian sheikhs, has become the richest club on the planet.

Magpies fans, because of the club’s vision of success, have moved on without too much trouble to the idea that the new owners are aiding and abetting human rights abuses in their country of origin. The Premier League has then come under pressure mainly because of the TV rights abuses that are taking place in Saudi Arabia. Human rights were not so “fundamental”. They were more or less dealt with by human rights organisations.

The Chelsea v Newcastle game on Sunday was all the more piquant. Chelsea is facing problems because it is owned by Roman Abramovich, whose assets, including the London club, have been frozen. The running of the whole club is now significantly restricted and Petr Cech, who is a member of the board, has indicated concern about whether the club will be able to finish the season.

Abramovich is thus being punished for having a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where, in addition to fighting, there are also war crimes being committed against the Ukrainian population.

Ironically, the struggle took place over the weekend, during which 81 people were executed in Saudi Arabia. It was the largest mass execution in the country in decades. The executions were ordered on charges ranging from joining militant groups to espousing ‘deviant beliefs’. As many as 37 people were executed

Newcastle is owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. Just as Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has had to face questions about the invasion of Ukraine, Magpies coach Eddie Howe has now had to face a question just about the executions.

“I will only comment on football,” Howe refused to respond in a post-match interview to events in a country that more or less funds the club he manages. In addition, he noted that he is concerned about the loss to Chelsea and therefore he believes it is right that he concentrates on football.

Blues coach Tuchel was also given the opportunity to compare the situation. “The situation is unfortunately like that for the owners of Newcastle. What can I say? I don’t want to point fingers because comparing us to others will not change anything for us,” the German strategist is clear.

It goes without saying to add that while Russia and Russian clubs have been banned from competitions by both UEFA and FIFA, Qatar continues to cheerfully go along with human rights abuses as it prepares to host the World Cup later this year.

Sources: Premier League, Tariq Panja, Twitter