– I want to defend him – VG

Updated only now

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During Wednesday’s press conference he had to Haaland once again defends the choice of their club. NRK asked the following questions:

– Manchester City owners are accused of massive human rights violations and imprisoning their residents. Now you play for Manchester City. What do you think of the owners of the club you represent?

– I’ve never met them, so I don’t know them like that. Those are pretty strong accusations you make there. When you put it this way, I can’t help but say a lot about it. I think it would be a little too embarrassing a word there, Haaland replied.

Erlend Hanstveit, head of NISO (Central Organization of Norwegian Athletes), is particularly pleased that discussions on human and labor rights have gained momentum in sport.

– But I want to take Haaland in defense on this, he says.

– We must be careful not to hold individual players too responsible for what happens in international football. In this case, it is a question of what demands the Premier League places on club owners, and it is a matter for the leadership in the Premier League and in the organization of the club. This is where protection must be directed, Hanstveit believes.

Arve Hjelseth, an associate professor of sports sociology at NTNU, calls it “a theater” when reporters ask questions of the kind NRK did.

– You know roughly what the answer will be. But it’s healthy for this to be made visible to the public, especially since it’s also in all online newspapers as long as he makes a goal pass, Hjelseth points out.

– How much responsibility should be placed on individual players?

– There is a limit to what individual players can do if they want to continue in their club. What they can do is not play for such clubs. When he plays for City, he automatically becomes a political actor, due to the fact that he contributes to the legitimation of sporting recycling by dubious regimes, which unfortunately has become the object of top football.

– There are undoubtedly many who believe that through its status it can help highlight the problematic aspects of football. But football has become like this, and therefore there is no reason to “hang” Haaland.

The city is owned by sjeik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyanwho is Deputy Prime Minister of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

– Haaland and Norway were clear about participation in collective scoring and were a leading country in scoring against Qatar. They are solid enough signs, which mean something. He’s taking a stand. I think it’s easy to underestimate it, says Hanstveit.

– Haaland has received some criticism for not being so involved, for example standing a little behind and not holding the banner?

– Yes, but still: regardless of whether he holds the banner or not, he stayed there and stopped behind it. There were signs resonating in Football Europe.

Hanstveit thinks so collective commitment is the only thing you can ask young players, if you can ask for something.

– Erling Braut Haaland is a fantastic model. On the pitch there is fair play and a smile on the face. There are no dirty tricks. And that’s what’s in his job – and not getting involved in big political debates.

– Should he still tolerate being asked such a question at a national team meeting?

– I don’t know if I have to say that he has to put up with it, but I think all the players of the national team are more aware of these problems – and they have positively marked their point of view on human and workers’ rights.

Norway will face Slovenia away on Saturday and Serbia at home on Tuesday.

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