Opinion – PVC: Scene of a 9-year-old boy being harassed by Santos fans went around the world

The founder of 1190 Sports, which distributes the international rights to the Brazilian Championship, celebrates a successful year of the project in the world. There are more than one hundred countries watching Series A and B and the recently signed contract with ESPN will guarantee distribution throughout Latin America.

“You cannot conquer the world without being king in your own territory,” argues Hernan Donnari. There are partnerships in the United States, with Univision and Paramount Plus, and you can watch matches in the North American territory also through the Brasileirão Play app.

“No country that watched the Brazilian championships in the first year wanted to give it back. All kept for new periods”. Cases from countries like Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and former Soviet republics. Portugal is also an important customer. Jorge Jesus and Abel Ferreira increase interest there.

At the same time that Brazilian football is finally concerned about crossing borders, the images show a sick football. Or worse: a sick country.

The case of the 9-year-old boy, a Santos fan, had repercussions on all Portuguese channels. The invasion of Grêmio fans and the destruction of the VAR’s cabin, after the game against Palmeiras, was also seen around the world.

The scenes of violence do not worry the executives who distribute the Brazilian too much. They believe that those who have access to the full rounds and highlights programs that belong to the packages realize that there are cases in one game, not all.

Need to worry who organizes.

A phrase repeated to exhaustion, when managers were demanded to adhere to sanitary measures, at the height of the pandemic, football is not a bubble.

If the country is experiencing a wave of intolerance, if it spreads through antisocial networks, reveals racist and homophobic attacks, if even a volleyball player demonstrates his indignation with a comic book, if society is sick, football is part of it.

And exuberantly exposes how the intransigence reached unbearable levels. “Another cheering fight, everything ends in confusion”, is the verse of the song “Desordem”, by the Titãs, recorded in 1987.

It’s not just that kind of conflict.

“Que country is this” was recorded by Legião Urbana in 1988 and the song that gives the album its name was by Aborto Elétrico, from ten years earlier. Renato Russo sang “no one respects the Constitution, but everyone believes in the future of the nation”, while the centrão set the tone of the Sarney government, with Cazuza shouting: “My credit card is a razor”.

Almost 35 years later, my broken is a broken heart.

Vila Belmiro’s distorters distort the way of cheering and attack the 9-year-old child because he wanted an opponent’s shirt. The image of this Brazil crossed the ocean and was exhibited from Portugal to France, from where Jorge Sampaoli sent his solidarity and an Olympique shirt.

If the disease is not exclusive to football, the cure can be through it. This country was already disoriented in 2019.

Gabigol was getting ready to go up to the lawn at Allianz Parque. Already dressed in Flamengo’s full uniform, he was approached by a mascot, all dressed in Palmeiras: “I want to see your goal today,” said the boy. Amazed, Gabigol asked: “Hey, aren’t you from Palmeira?” The boy replied: “I am. It will be 2-1 for Palmeiras. I want to see your goal!”.

Better to have that hope or that of a Gilberto Gil song: “Who knows, the Superman will restore us to glory, changing the course of history like a God.”