Join Stanchion Books and Cassell for the London launch of David Arrowsmith’s new book Narcoball : Love, Death and Football in Escobar's Colombia.
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The book:
Pablo Escobar had one obsession. Not drugs, not money, not power... football.
Narcoball uncovers the incredible story of Colombian football during the early 1990s - shaped by drug lords, rivalries, and ambition. It uncovers a football empire backed by cartels - where victory was a currency of its own, and defeat, a matter of life and death. This is a different story of Pablo Escobar and his rivals.
A tale of clandestine deals that reshaped Medellin's football clubs, where fortunes were won and lost. It unveils the extraordinary bonds that Escobar forged with football's luminaries and why his influence reached unprecedented heights, leading to the astonishing 5-0 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires, the murder of referees, and the ruthless coercion of officials culminating in the killing of Andrés Escobar - the Colombian defender who paid the ultimate price for an own goal in the 1994 World Cup. It is also an examination of a people's relationship with both the sport and the nefarious leaders that brought both pride and terror to their communities.
Set against the U.S War on Drugs, international threats, and government clampdowns, this is a gripping exploration of Colombian club football under Escobar's rise and fall.
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The participants:
David Arrowsmith was the Director of Development at leading UK factual TV producer Zig Zag Productions. He has worked in television for over 20 years - developing unscripted ideas and acting as Executive Producer on key projects for companies such as October Films, DSP, Channel 5, Granada Television, and the BBC. He is passionate about history, and just some of his key commissions include '1966: Who Stole the World Cup?', 'Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty', '8 Days That Made Rome', and 'Adolf & Eva: Love & War'. He was also involved in the development of the award-winning, Nobel Peace Prize-nominated documentary 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields'.
David was born and raised in London but is proudly half-Colombian. In fact, he is the great-grandson of a former president and directly descended from four more. He has played football for over 35 years and has no plans to stop just yet.
This event is chaired by Andy Brassell, a writer and broadcaster, specialising in European football. He works as a pundit across many forms of media for the likes of Talksport, the BBC, BT Sport, and ESPN as well as newspapers such as the Guardian, The Independent, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star.
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The venue:
The Volley is London's best place to enjoy football. Great viewing, an incredible beer selection, and exciting food.
The Volley has step-free access at the front, disabled toilets and a lift up to the bar area. If you have any questions about accessibility, please email hello@stanchionbooks.com.
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The running order:
Doors: 18:30
Kick off: 19:00
Interval: 19:45
Second half: 20:00
Book signing: 20:30