A small point about sports sanctions

No Sports For You

In the ever-increasing amount of the world that is Not Game, decent human beings are insisting on the removal of Russian athletes from competitions. Amazingly, FIFA did the right thing (of course, in the worst way), followed by a do-se-do for the Special Olympics. Given the doping and child abuse circus that was last month, perhaps the IOC shouldn't just take away a flag next time.

If public sentiment among the Russian people is starting to wonder if they are the baddies here (hint: the rest of the world sure seems to think so, and is willing to pay more for gasoline and the four other things that tragic land still exports), sports is going to be yet another distraction that is no longer available. The same as first run movies, pornography (Pornhub, once again doing the Lord's work), stock market trading and much, much more.

Now, there will come the inevitable Devil's Advocate / Hi, I'm A Public Asshat take that all of this as just virtue signaling or, SHUDDER, cancel culture.

People who really just love telling you (yes, you) how to act, what to watch, and so on. First they made you stop spreading a pandemic with masking and vaccines, and now they are going to keep you from being able to escape your sad existence with Politics in Game. Shake your bony first in anger.

So, as a public service to people who desperately need it, this:

If we don't stop despots from using force to take whatever they want, they will.

If you want to live in a world where might makes right, and you that anyone who disagrees with you is a liberal cuck, please stand up for your principles and enjoy your upcoming time in prison.

You also don't get to play or watch sports, since those activities involve following rules.

In a world where might makes right, eventually the mighty find out they aren't the mightiest. If to no other opponent than age or numbers. But not without a lot of undue suffering.

Back the bans. Extend them to China, AKA the only country that seems to be Pro Vlad, and yes, I may also be covering his own damned country. 

Seize the yachts, the teams, the cars. Evict them from their homes and properties. Show that when you no longer have the ability to live in decent society, it's not better for you. Support the Ukrainian people in their efforts to keep their own damned self-governance when they are not militarily occupied, and to sabotage the living hell out of the ill-gotten ground when they are.

You may not think you are at war, but maybe look at your gas and oil bill, or your groceries. 

Not sanctioning sports is tone deaf at best, compliant at worst.

Refusing to associate in any way with a nation that allows its armed forces to be used in the service of a despot is not despotism. It's a defensive move that speaks to the greater consequences of bad behavior.

And that's all that anyone should have to say about that.