The latest batch of Football Leaks information started off with articles shining a light on the tax avoidance practises of some of the biggest names in football.
Whilst there was no direct claim of law breaking for the big personalities, and quick denials from Jorge Mendes and co, there was the ability to argue the leaks were in the public interest.
Dodging contributions to society can be seen as morally questionable, especially when some of those involved will gladly accept praise for their charitable and humanitarian efforts. That much of the story revolved around image rights gave it all a reasonable basis, these are people who earn huge sums from their image.
A couple of days later and Belgian newspaper Le Soir had a new batch of leaks, and this time it was less taxing and perhaps more entertaining. Finding out about secret clauses in footballer’s contracts is interesting, but it’s also confidential information.
Just because something interests the public doesn’t make it in the public interest.
It can’t be ignored that these documents have been stolen, and there were reliable allegations that bribery, involving huge sums, was involved at the beginning. Where there’s muck there’s usually money.
Therefore to release the confidential information there would usually have to be a good reason. Whilst that can be argued in the tax case, it surely can’t be when the claim is that Firmino has an anti-Arsenal clause, or Hugo Lloris gets match bonuses for losing, or Toby Alderweireld can switch clubs for €30m.
It’s not being presented straight bat, with Le Soir and others looking to make the mundane more exciting. For example ‘Footballer gets paid match bonus, but it’s less if his team loses’ isn’t going to raise any eyebrows, ‘Footballer gets bonus for losing’ is.
Tottenham have strongly denied that Alderweireld has an active release clause, and Le Soir didn’t publish a screenshot of that part of the defender’s contract. They did publish the top part, complete with Alderweireld’s national insurance number.
Then followed claims that the clause was actually only applicable during summer transfer windows, suggesting Tottenham’s denial related to the winter window, but Sport Witness has been led to believe that’s not the case either.
The latest round of Football Leaks have left a bad taste for some, with Le Soir already the subject of some criticism. If it’s just nosying around personal confidential contracts, which have been obtained by very questionable means, then it’s hardly in the spirit of how it was initially presented.
This isn’t shining a light on bad practice, showing where rules of the game have been broken, agents involved where they shouldn’t have been, and third party ownership having too much influence. This is just being plain nosy.
If in addition to that it’s then hyped, twisted and exaggerated, it gets to the point where a Football Leaks Leaks would be more appropriate.
