Join Stanchion Books and Seven Dials for the London launch of Miguel Delaney’s new book States of Play : How Sportswashing Took Over Football.
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The book:
As the 2022 World Cup in Qatar drew to a close, there was a bitter undercurrent to Argentina's triumph. Throughout the tournament, numerous allegations of sportswashing and financial misconduct had been made against the state of Qatar, moving what had previously been a smaller conversation into the worldwide spotlight.
The question had been asked, who really owns and runs football? Journeying from Abu Dhabi to Newcastle, and onto London, Paris, Moscow and New York, journalist Miguel Delaney investigates the allegations of sportswashing and misconduct in the beautiful game. The result is a gripping account of how football has been taken over by the world's wealthiest businessmen, state-backed corporations, media tycoons and oil-rich oligarchs. From Neymar's £198 million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain and Abu Dhabi's construction empire in Manchester to failed Financial Fair Play constraints and the dawn of the European Super League, Miguel draws on exclusive interviews and unprecedented access to key stakeholders to produce an all-encompassing exposé of modern footballs highest echelons.
Authoritative, riveting and eye-opening, States of Play reveals how football has become a tool for the world's elite.
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The participants:
Miguel Delaney is the chief football writer at the Independent and has been nominated for several awards, including the Football Supporters' Association Writer of the Year, British Journalism Awards Sports Journalist of the Year and SJA Sports Writer of the Year. He is one of football's leading journalists and has covered 14 consecutive Champions League finals, 4 World Cups, and 5 European Championships, amongst others.
Chair Jonathan Wilson is an acclaimed journalist, author and the editor of The Blizzard. His book Inverting the Pyramid won the National Sporting Club Book of the Year award, and was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award amongst others. His other books include Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football; Sunderland: A Club Transformed; The Anatomy of England: A History in Ten Matches; Nobody Ever Says Thank You, a critically acclaimed biography of Brian Clough; The Outsider: A History of the Goalkeeper; The Anatomy of Liverpool; Angels with Dirty Faces: The Footballing History of Argentina; and The Anatomy of Manchester United. He writes for the Guardian, Sports Illustrated and World Soccer.
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The venue:
We are delighted to be using the clubhouse of Dulwich Hamlet FC, a historic football club in south London which only 20 mins from London Bridge and also served by frequent trains from London Victoria and London Blackfriars. Dulwich Hamlet are currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football.
Dulwich Hamlet's clubhouse 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