Trial by Social Media – Good or Bad

A Great Achievement Ruined by a Man

You know my feelings about innocent until proven guilty, and my loathing of Trial by Social Media, but all the potential good that the Spanish Women’s Football team had going by winning the FIFA World Cup over England, has been dashed by the outrageous behaviour of the Sanish FA’s President LR.

I am unsure where he sought his advice once the Media latched onto his offensive escapades, but clearly they were from sycophantic colleagues at the Spanish FA, who have similar views of women in today’s society.

The world had witnessed the unsavoury antics of a man clearly overwhelmed by the moment, and the great achievement the team had achieved. He let his own feelings overtake his wild celebrations, and completely misunderstood women, how they feel, and should be treated.

Should JH have made more of an issue at the time, perhaps, I guess that all the women were also on a high, they had won the World Cup, but that didn’t give him the right to kiss her like he did.

He should have explained just that in a conciliatory and apologetic statement. Recognising that he had overstepped his authority, and totally misread the situation in the heat of the moment and euphoria of his countries women winning their first World Cup. He had in hindsight recognised that his actions were wrong, and not acceptable. Apologising unreservedly to JH for his actions which he understood were not consensual and he would not do anything like that again.

His actions had overshadowed what was a truly great moment in Spanish football, and that he hoped his apology would allow that to now be the focus. He was seeking help to understand how his actions were perceived by women and the modern world. He was truly sorry for the hurt he had inflicted.

He would then perhaps, have shown the dignity required, in the position he holds.

But he didn’t. He felt that suddenly he was the victim of modern Social Media pressure. The Spanish FA, similarly, backed his actions and called JH a liar despite the widely publicised TV evidence. They showed that Spanish Football, and LR specifically, are living in a male chauvinistic world that most men do not understand or recognise.

Since I married SEM, and we shared our love based upon the vows we took, I have never considered kissing another female on the lips, well other than my dear departed mother, and my very young grandchildren, who seem to insist that it is something that they want. Personally, a high five or a fist pump is I feel far more appropriate. I even only hug, and kiss on the cheek my two wonderful daughters, and previously before I retired, the odd tipsy colleagues at works Christmas Party’s.

Intimacy is something special that is shared with only the one you love, and that includes kissing.

Women understand that kissing on the lips is very much a consensual thing, and even us useless men know when the signs are right for that. But apparently not LR, who has now quite rightly has been suspended by FIFA, pending an investigation. It will be interesting to see in 90 days’ time, when the incident is not so raw, and media attention is focused on something new, what the final outcome will be. But I wouldn’t bet on the outcome, not with FIFA’s track record.

This though wasn’t trial by social media, this was for everyone to see, a man who is living in an age where such behaviour was previously considered acceptable to men, but is rightly, no longer tolerated, or deemed appropriate.