Political commentator Jiří Pehe on the X social network draws attention to the difference between the ethnic diversity of the football teams that have a chance to win the title at the European Championship and the situation in the Czech Republic. Pehe is critical of the Czech immigration policy and the lack of ethnic diversity, ironically noting that even if the Czech team has no chance of winning the title, the Czech Republic is leading the fight against migration.
“The teams that have a chance to win the title at the Euros are all ethnically diverse, with descendants of migrants from all over the world. We are not playing for the title, and we won’t be soon, but we are the first European league in the fight against migration. Who has it?” writes Pehe on X.
The teams with a chance to win the title at the Euros are all ethnically diverse, with descendants of migrants from all over the world. We are not playing for the title, and we won’t be soon, but we are the first European league in the fight against migration. Who has it?
— Jiří Pehe (@JiriPehe) June 29, 2024
Criticism of the Czech approach to migration is further elaborated by the director of the Organization for Aid to Refugees, Martin Rozumek. He sarcastically points out that the Czech Republic is proud of its “innovative approaches” to migration. He criticizes the Czech government’s plan to negotiate with authoritarian regimes such as those of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the Taliban in Afghanistan to stop killing and torturing their opponents, thereby creating safe zones for the return of refugees to those countries. “Disappointment from Víto Rakušan,” summarizes the director of OPU.cz.
Reason also suggests that without foreign competition and the use of the potential of people with different experiences, the Czech Republic will not excel in anything.
And we proudly lead the EU states in the so-called “innovative approaches” in migration. We are currently going to beg Bashar Assad and the Taliban to stop killing and torturing their opponents for us, so that we can create safe zones for the return of Syrians and Afghans. Disappointment from @Vit_Rakusan
— Martin Rozumek ?? (@RozumekMartin) June 30, 2024
Pehe’s initial comment about the European Football Championship was criticized by X user Milan Kalina Sr., who claims that football is being misused to promote ideology and that big sports are all about business and have nothing to do with migration.
Jiří Pehe explains in his answer that the ethnic diversity of national football teams has nothing to do with business. “The fact that France has Mbappé, Dembele or Kante, England Bellingham and Walker, Spain Jamal and Williams, or Germany Gundogan or Musial is based on their ethnic diversity,” Pehe points out, pointing out that these players are part of national teams because of ethnic diversity , which results from migration and demographic changes in the countries in question.
Ethnic diversity of natives (not clubs) has nothing to do with business. The fact that France has Mbappé, Dembele, or Kante, England Bellingham and Walker, Spain Jamal and Williams, or Germany Gundogan or Musial, is based on their ethnic diversity.
— Jiří Pehe (@JiriPehe) June 29, 2024
Discussant Jan Buriánek further challenges Pehe’s theory with the fact that the world champion in soccer is the ethnically homogeneous team of Argentina. To this Pehe responds simply. According to him, Argentina is a “country of migrants”.
Which is the country of migrants…
— Jiří Pehe (@JiriPehe) June 29, 2024
Marketer Šimon Eherlich, who appears on X under the nickname Jie, also mentions Argentina as world champions. “The last Euro was won by the Italians, who had only one foreigner in the team – a white Brazilian. The last World Cup was won by Argentina, which was criticized by a certain progressive media for having too many white players. I really can’t anymore,” Eherlich does not understand the situation.
The last Euro was won by the Italians, who had only one foreigner in the team – a white Brazilian.
The last World Cup was won by Argentina, which was criticized by a certain progressive media for having too many white players.
I really can’t anymore.— Jie (@jietienming) June 29, 2024
Jakub Rosický responds to Pehe by saying that for some children from ethnic minorities, football is the only chance for a good life and their journey is a real struggle. “But they are outnumbered by those who burn cars in the streets and call for a caliphate,” user X agrees, stating that uncontrolled migration must be fought.
Pehe counters: “Most of those players are not descendants of illegal migrants, but completely legal ones.”
Most of those players are not descendants of illegal immigrants, but completely legal ones.
— Jiří Pehe (@JiriPehe) June 29, 2024
The discussion of ethnic diversity in sports continues at X with a mention of hockey. Petr Cviček points out that no one came with similar comments about the Czech team in the hockey championship. Moreover, the Czech team was successful even without ethnic diversity. The World Ice Hockey Championship 2024 ended with gold for the Czech team.
However, according to Pehe, this is due to the fact that hockey is only a local phenomenon. However, global success in sports is related to ethnic diversity, local sports, which he says is hockey, are only following this trend. “Hockey is a local, not a global phenomenon. Only a few dozen Nordic countries play it. But there are already black and Hispanic players in the NHL,” replied Pehe.
Hockey is a local, not a global phenomenon. Only a few dozen Nordic countries play it. but there are already black and hispanic players in the NHL.
— Jiří Pehe (@JiriPehe) June 29, 2024
Ondřej Pospíšil wants the Czech team to be better in football. However, he would not change the team. “Actually, it’s true, without migrants of African origin, Western European countries would probably be half as good at football, but they wouldn’t have a half-destroyed country,” writes Pospíšil.
It’s actually true, without migrants of African origin, Western European countries would probably be half as good at football, but then again they wouldn’t have a half broken country.
I would also like the Czech Republic to be better in football, but I wouldn’t change it. I love football, but there are more important things in life.— Ondřej Pospišil (@ondrej_pospisil) June 29, 2024
“Mr. Pehe probably thinks that our national team is a Disney movie,” user Petr Horáček found.
Mr. Pehe probably thinks that our national team is a Disney movie.
— Petr Horáček (@horacekpetr22) June 29, 2024
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