Flag Fury at the World Cup

Posted By Kyle Spector Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 1:20 PM Share

Pantsil On Saturday, Ghana defender John Pantsil pulled out a small Israeli flag and waved it around following Ghana's World Cup victory over the Czech Republic. The move sparked furor from some Arab nations and encouraging words from Israeli officials.

A Ghana Football Association official noted that Pantsil, a member of Israeli soccer team HaPoel Tel Aviv, wanted to thank the Israeli fans who had traveled to Germany to see him play. Others saw the move as a potential political declaration of support for Israel by Ghana.

With the world's eyes focused on Germany, every action by the players is destined for scrutiny. Government officials should remember, however, that these men are athletes, not professional diplomats. In the scheme of things, the move was hardly offsides.

EXPLORE:AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST, ISRAEL/PALESTINE, POLITICS, WORLD CUP

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