Discussions

[katumi]

Ghana defender John Paintsil's
waving of an Israeli flag to celebrate his team's World Cup goals
drew a barrage of insults and furious reactions in Monday's Egyptian
newspapers.
Paintsil, who plays for Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv, celebrated
the two goals in Ghana's 2-0 win over the Czech Republic by pulling
an Israeli flag out of his sock and waving it at the cameras.
"The ignorant and stupid Paintsil, who spent 20 days in Egypt
during the last African Nations Cup, plays for Hapoel," sports
commentator Alaa Sadek wrote in the daily Al-Akhbar, explaining to
baffled Egyptian audiences Painstil's link to Israel.
"Egyptians supported the Ghanaian team all the way until the
82nd minute, and regretted it after the Israeli flag (waving),"
screamed a bold red headline in the independent daily Al-Masry
al-Yom.
"As soon as the referee blew his whistle to start the match,
Egyptians were out enthusiastically, almost hysterically supporting
Ghana, until defender John Paintsil took out the Israeli flag," read
the paper's front page article.
The live commentator on the Arab satellite channel broadcasting
all World Cup matches in the region abruptly cut short his trademark
"goooaaaaaaal" when Paintsil brought out the flag.
"What are you doing, man?" the bewildered commentator said.
The main question on Egyptian lips after the match was "why?".
Some papers described Paintsil as a "Mossad agent", others said
"an Israeli had paid him to do it" but the most elaborate theory was
offered by the top-selling state-owned daily Al-Ahram.
"The real reason," sports analyst Hassan el-Mestekawi wrote,
stems from the fact that many Ghanaian players go through football
training camps set up by an Israeli coach who "discovered the
treasure of African talent, and abused the poverty of the
continent's children" with the ultimate goal of selling them off to
European clubs.
"The training program for these children starts every morning
with a salute to the Israeli flag," Mestekawi claimed.
FIFA said they had taken note of the flag-waving and that
although there was nothing in the rules to prevent it, they hoped
not to see a repetition.
Egyptian football fans who were out supporting Ghana on
Saturday's match were equally rattled when the player took out the
Israeli flag and dubbed him "the Israghani" (Israeli-Ghanaian).
"We were totally supporting Ghana and we were so excited by how
well they were doing," Ashraf al-Berri, who watched the match with a
dozen friends told AFP.
"We were screaming with joy, but the whole room went quiet when
Paintsil took out the flag. We didn't really know how to react," he
said.
"As an Egyptian I am very sensitive when it comes to Israel,"
Osama Mohy, who watched the match at a friend's house, told AFP.
"If Mido scores, would he wave the england flag? and if he did
everyone would hate him for it," he said refering to Egyptian
striker Mido (Ahmed Hossam) who plays for England's Tottenham
Hotspurs.
African champions Egypt failed to qualify for the World Cup
finals.
jz/jmm/ak

[Le Vyrus]

Deciiaaaaaaaaaaaaaa where r uuuu

[paabo]

But he has a point....a footballing related incident snowballing into an avalanche!!

Why is the GFA still mute???

[Le Vyrus]

[paabo]

[kebacholitificatious]

[Beefy]

[Basharat]

I wonder what would happen if a player pulled out a swastika sign to show solidarity with his brodas.

[Le Vyrus]

check the anfield forum http://forums.thisisanfield.com/viewtopic.php?t=14113

[muller]

Katumi, I respect your sensitivity to the issue at hand however i stand on the notion that soccer is soccer and has no direct affiliation with any political cause. Like i wrote somewhere many players celebrate their goals in a lot of ways expressing theircontent, some dance some thank the corwd, JP decided to thank the country that welcomed him wholeheartedly...in some ways made him feel at home. Purely soccer affiliated not politics. I do not apprecitae the fact that you tend to bring this issue over and over again... this is probably your fourth discussion you are trying to start on this topic... what do you hope to achive?? panic?, confusion about the safety of the players? or what? this is indeed history in the making for Ghana soccer please refrain from any catalyst for psychological setbacks. GfA appologized to day..hope that helps you. if you are still tensed i recommend you getting some "Booty" or "pito" they will calm your nerves,then come back and lets see how we can plan on kicking some good old American buttocks.

[Beefy]

[tEgoR]

I hope it doesn't happen again. I think these guys are over reacting!

[Moi]

I'm getting tired of this issue. Silly as Painstills action were, I believe it was not political. i wonder what everyones reaction would be if he pulled out a Malayasian flag. This is a time for unity, fun and joy.

Here's a comment I heard on a local Ghanaian station this morning. "I was dissapointed because when I last went to Ghana the Arab nations were investing a lot money into the country so they may leave after this action by Painstill". Well let them leave. It's football for crying out loud.

[classic]

SHAALOM!!!! That is the message.

Saalam Malaikum!

If anything at all Painstill has highlighted the Mid-East.

[Oluman Boogey]