The incident in question has sparked a ridiculous circus, with Downing Street calling for FIFA to investigate. Why is it that we’ve got a government playing chess while the media, particularly giants like CNN and BBC, are playing checkers? Instead of asking tough questions about political motives, they’re giddy over the idea of an investigation as if that’s going to solve anything. It’s all a spectacle—a useful distraction from the real issues plaguing both British politics and international football.

CNN, with its melodramatic take, eagerly perpetuates the narrative of outrage. They cover every angle except the obvious: why are we letting football bureaucrats dictate the terms of decency in global sports? Meanwhile, the BBC does its usual dance, adopting a faux-critical stance while secretly acting as an echo chamber for the government’s narrative. “Let’s get FIFA to investigate,” they chant like a bunch of trained parrots, conveniently ignoring how this distraction fits perfectly into their narrative of moral superiority.

Both outlets are too enamored with their own reflections in the liberal elite’s mirror to dig deeper. Why is it no one wants to scrutinize the possible collusion between government and corporations here? It’s always about optics versus substance, making headlines rather than making a difference. In the world of corporate media, it looks like we’ve traded journalism for a soap opera.