What's the booing for?
Forgive me, and direct me to a proper forum, if this issue was already raised.
I was surprised to see the FIFA president Blatter came on scene to hand medal to the Nadeshikos. What was more surprising is that stadium crowd booed to his name? Why?
Is he a villain in eyes of British soccer fans? Or, was it that the highest official should present to the champions, not runners-up? Or, it was not he who was booed but something else? Or, may be, it was not boo at all, but cheering?
Educate me please!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by 2xehxtxemyk65 on -
I have no idea Ken. I asked the question somewhere else but got no answer. Maybe someone can tell us.
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Permalink Reply by Gromit on -
Having not seen your discussion, I've just answered somewhere else to Lars's same question.
Well, this is not "official" explanations of course, only what I could understand by searching here and there :
"The booing were against Sepp Blatter.
Two explanations have been given here and there :
1) a reciprocal dislike between Blatter and England for various reasons, mainly Blatter's declarations after several incidents including English National Team or clubs (Chelsea, particularly).
2) Blatter being FIFA's President, he is responsible of the referees and their quality. The tournament ended with two matches out of three (the Bronze match was ok) with shameful refeeering and huge "mistakes" which changed the fate of one SF and the Final. We can think that many people in the stadium knew what Football is and were perfectly aware of the situation."
It can be a mix of the two, actually.
I'll add something else : various media inquiries looked at FIFA in a recent past (newspapers, magazines, TV documentaries, etc., I think one or two books were published) and they all were very, very bad towards Blatter.
My personal opinion is that he deserves to be booed anytime, anywhere for all the reasons formerly given :o)
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Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on -
Thank you for educating me, Gromit. I had no idea Mr. Blatter is such an unpopular figure. I was simply touched, as most of my fellow-countrymen were, to see a high official like him honored our players.
I just saw a funny news about the medal ceremony. If you view the scene Mr. Blatter handed medals to the Nadeshikos you’ll see how Karina Maruyama (counted 4th from Homare Sawa) behaved in front of him. She made V signs with both hands and raised them to her face. People here find her act disrespectful to an important person and the coach Norio Sasaki quickly apologized. A typical cultural response of this country where a coach-players relationship is viewed something like that of father and daughters. I’m curious how the people who dislike Mr. Blatter hear this news. :-)
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Permalink Reply by Women's Soccer United on -
The way I saw it was the team were excited and watching themselves on the big screen as they were presented their medals and flowers. When Maruyama did the V signs, I think Blatter looked back at what she was doing and she got embarrassed but she was definitely not being disrespectful just trying to pose for the camera and big screens in stadium. I don't think there was any need to apologise for her, you can't imagine the elation the team were feeling and she should be free to celebrate and enjoy the moment.
Ken Suzuki said:Thank you for educating me, Gromit. I had no idea Mr. Blatter is such an unpopular figure. I was simply touched, as most of my fellow-countrymen were, to see a high official like him honored our players.
I just saw a funny news about the medal ceremony. If you view the scene Mr. Blatter handed medals to the Nadeshikos you’ll see how Karina Maruyama (counted 4th from Homare Sawa) behaved in front of him. She made V signs with both hands and raised them to her face. People here find her act disrespectful to an important person and the coach Norio Sasaki quickly apologized. A typical cultural response of this country where a coach-players relationship is viewed something like that of father and daughters. I’m curious how the people who dislike Mr. Blatter hear this news. :-)
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Permalink Reply by Gromit on
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Yes, I read about this controversy in Japan concerning Nadeshiko's behaviour on the stand and particularly Maruyama's. I couldn't believe my eyes, actually when I read it. There is absolutely nothing disrespectful to my eyes ! And the fact Norio Sasaki came and apologized is truely amazing for a non-Japanese !
I was just happy to see Maruyama laughing and smiling, seeing that a couple of minutes before she was in tears. And having not been able to see the ceremony live (I discovered it thanks to WSU's video), I had remained a long time with the memory of those tears (and Miyama's too) in my mind and that was painful.
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Permalink Reply by Gromit on
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Wise words, Gina :o)
Women's Soccer United said:The way I saw it was the team were excited and watching themselves on the big screen as they were presented their medals and flowers. When Maruyama did the V signs, I think Blatter looked back at what she was doing and she got embarrassed but she was definitely not being disrespectful just trying to pose for the camera and big screens in stadium. I don't think there was any need to apologise for her, you can't imagine the elation the team were feeling and she should be free to celebrate and enjoy the moment.
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Permalink Reply by 2xehxtxemyk65 on
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Did she do a V-sign or a V sign?
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Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on
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Haha, I see.
There are generations who believe you have to be in full attention (the way soldiers do in rank) on podium. No longer majority in number, but still socially influential.
I don't know how "V-sign" and "V sign" are different. Maruyama's each hand stretches point and mid fingers wide folding the other three.
Lars Breimer said:
Did she do a V-sign or a V sign?
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Permalink Reply by Women's Soccer United on
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I assume it is the 'peace sign' ? I could be wrong though...
Ken Suzuki said:Haha, I see.
There are generations who believe you have to be in full attention (the way soldiers do in rank) on podium. No longer majority in number, but still socially influential.
I don't know how "V-sign" and "V sign" are different. Maruyama's each hand stretches point and mid fingers wide folding the other three.
Lars Breimer said:
Did she do a V-sign or a V sign?
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Permalink Reply by Gromit on
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@Ken - There are no V-sign and V sign but just two V signs... When hand's palm is facing who is looking, it mean Victory or Peace. When the hand's palm is facing who is making the gesture, it means "piss off" (to remain polite) and can be reinforced by a up and down movement of the hand. Other reinforcements can be : vocal insults, mouth grinning, and lots of beer.
Actually, it was neither V sign nor V-sign... But a strange thing that seems typically Japanese and for the day. The hands were not in a vertical position but horizontal and - Lars being an Abba fan and a Disco man, he will immediately understand what I mean - more in a Pulp Fiction John Travolta's way. Horizontal hands at eyes level. Asian eyes ??
Ken Suzuki said:Haha, I see.
There are generations who believe you have to be in full attention (the way soldiers do in rank) on podium. No longer majority in number, but still socially influential.
I don't know how "V-sign" and "V sign" are different. Maruyama's each hand stretches point and mid fingers wide folding the other three.
Lars Breimer said:
Did she do a V-sign or a V sign?
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Permalink Reply by Ken Suzuki on
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Really? Then I must warn my nation. Very few knows a V sign with palm facing the performer is insulting. Actually, your hand is formed like this when you count with your fingers. The most typical way practiced in Japan is: first stretch the point-finger to represent “1”, then mid-finger joins to represent “2”, then the 4th finger for “3” and so on. And usually it is done keeping the palm to yourself. (I know the Americans begin with thumb.)
My fellow Japanese. Don’t display number 2 with your hand!
As for Maruyama’s performance, it looks like one performed by women of young generation – in teens and twenties – but usually among themselves. Perhaps that’s why some people are troubled to see it done to a man much elder.
Gromit said:@Ken - There are no V-sign and V sign but just two V signs... When hand's palm is facing who is looking, it mean Victory or Peace. When the hand's palm is facing who is making the gesture, it means "piss off" (to remain polite) and can be reinforced by a up and down movement of the hand. Other reinforcements can be : vocal insults, mouth grinning, and lots of beer.
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Permalink Reply by Gromit on
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Using the V sign when posing for a photograph is very traditional in East Asia, not only in Japan, but also in China, Korea, Taiwan.
The V sign as an insult (with palm facing who does it) is mainly British actually. We don't use it in France, the (very) rude gesture being just the middle finger erected (palm facing who does it, again). And we don't use the Victory sign a lot... or just behind the head of someone, but here the meaning is that this person has horns, that is he's/she's cuckold...
Naughty people will say that French don't use the Victory sign often because they don't win often. ;o)
Cultural body gestures are so different from one country to the other or have very different meanings indeed. So, yes, be careful when you're abroad !
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