William Wilberforce's descendant attacks FIFA boss over his "slave" comments
In 1807, British politician William Wilberforce's efforts banned slavery in Britain and her Empire. Britain became the first country in the world to ban slavery, and Royal Navy warships regularly patrolled the Atlantic stopping American and French slave ships, who had yet to ban the practise.
In 2008, Sepp Blatter (who is well known for his anti-British views), the boss of FIFA, football's world governing body, has disgracefully said that Manchester United are treating Ronaldo as a slave. Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United to go for Real Madrid, despite having just signed a new 4-year contract with United. Also, the fact that Blatter has said he thinks Ronaldo should go to Real Madrid (despite Ronaldo having just signed a new contract with United) goes to show that the boss of FIFA doesn't mind players showing disregard for their contracts (a disgraceful view to have as FIFA boss).
Now, writing exclusively for The Sun, William Wilberforce's great-great-great-great-grandson attacks Sepp Blatter over his "Ronaldo is treated like a slave by Manchester Utd" comments. After all, what kind of slave gets paid over £120,000 per WEEK?
In this instance, Manchester United are in the right and Blatter and Ronaldo are in the wrong.
Cristiano Ronaldo ...Manchester United treat him like a 'slave', according to FIFA boss Blatter, despite tham paying him £120,000 a week
Comparing Ronaldo to a slave is an insult
By WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, whose great-great-great-great grandfather abolished slavery
11 Jul 2008
The Sun
IS superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo a slave? Yes, says FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
He claims the Portuguese winger is locked in slavery because Manchester United won’t sell him to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Ronaldo has four years left on his contract and United want him to stick to it.
Here North Yorkshire farmer WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, great-great-great-great grandson of the anti-slavery campaigner of the same name, explains why Blatter is wrong.
Slave tirade ... ship interior
I BELIEVE Sepp Blatter’s use of the word slavery will cause great offence and distress to many people.
It shows complete ignorance of the issues to do with modern-day slavery.
To compare Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation with that of a slave is preposterous.
Ronaldo is a footballer who signed for Manchester United with his eyes wide open.
Campaigner ... hero William Wilberforce's efforst ensured that Britain was the first country to abolish slavery in 1807
Indeed, he renegotiated his contract last year and signed on for a further period with better terms.
He is paid very well for what he does. My famous ancestor campaigned tirelessly against the evils of slavery.
I can assure Blatter that William Wilberforce would not have recognised Ronaldo’s plight as that of a slave.
Many people do not realise that this awful cruelty is still with us.
According to the campaign group Free The Slaves, there are around 27million slaves today.
That is estimated to be more than at any other point in human history.
Modern slavery takes many forms.
There is tied labour in India and Pakistan and child labour in China.
There is slavery in some African countries and there is domestic slavery in the form of Filipino maids in some Middle Eastern countries.
Even Britain isn’t free of it. Foreign women are trafficked here and forced into prostitution.
We face a big challenge when the Olympics come here in 2012.
It has been estimated that 30,000 women were trafficked into Germany for prostitution for the World Cup in 2006.
Writes for Sun ... William Wilberforce, the great-great-great-great grandson of William Wilberforce
I understand police fear there may be a similar problem in Britain for the Olympics.
At the root of much modern slavery is inequality of income.
It is a serious problem and one that isn’t helped by ill-informed comments such as those made by Blatter.
Maybe he is not aware of all the issues.
Whatever the reason, instead of bandying about words such as slavery, Blatter and Ronaldo would be better advised debating employment laws.
Obviously, Ronaldo is a wonderful footballer and Blatter is an able administrator but they are straying into territory of which they are ignorant.
One thing is for sure – if Ronaldo is a slave, he’s the highest paid one in the history of the universe.
thesun.co.uk
In 1807, British politician William Wilberforce's efforts banned slavery in Britain and her Empire. Britain became the first country in the world to ban slavery, and Royal Navy warships regularly patrolled the Atlantic stopping American and French slave ships, who had yet to ban the practise.
In 2008, Sepp Blatter (who is well known for his anti-British views), the boss of FIFA, football's world governing body, has disgracefully said that Manchester United are treating Ronaldo as a slave. Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United to go for Real Madrid, despite having just signed a new 4-year contract with United. Also, the fact that Blatter has said he thinks Ronaldo should go to Real Madrid (despite Ronaldo having just signed a new contract with United) goes to show that the boss of FIFA doesn't mind players showing disregard for their contracts (a disgraceful view to have as FIFA boss).
Now, writing exclusively for The Sun, William Wilberforce's great-great-great-great-grandson attacks Sepp Blatter over his "Ronaldo is treated like a slave by Manchester Utd" comments. After all, what kind of slave gets paid over £120,000 per WEEK?
In this instance, Manchester United are in the right and Blatter and Ronaldo are in the wrong.
Cristiano Ronaldo ...Manchester United treat him like a 'slave', according to FIFA boss Blatter, despite tham paying him £120,000 a week
Comparing Ronaldo to a slave is an insult
By WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, whose great-great-great-great grandfather abolished slavery
11 Jul 2008
The Sun
IS superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo a slave? Yes, says FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
He claims the Portuguese winger is locked in slavery because Manchester United won’t sell him to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Ronaldo has four years left on his contract and United want him to stick to it.
Here North Yorkshire farmer WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, great-great-great-great grandson of the anti-slavery campaigner of the same name, explains why Blatter is wrong.
Slave tirade ... ship interior
I BELIEVE Sepp Blatter’s use of the word slavery will cause great offence and distress to many people.
It shows complete ignorance of the issues to do with modern-day slavery.
To compare Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation with that of a slave is preposterous.
Ronaldo is a footballer who signed for Manchester United with his eyes wide open.
Campaigner ... hero William Wilberforce's efforst ensured that Britain was the first country to abolish slavery in 1807
Indeed, he renegotiated his contract last year and signed on for a further period with better terms.
He is paid very well for what he does. My famous ancestor campaigned tirelessly against the evils of slavery.
I can assure Blatter that William Wilberforce would not have recognised Ronaldo’s plight as that of a slave.
Many people do not realise that this awful cruelty is still with us.
According to the campaign group Free The Slaves, there are around 27million slaves today.
That is estimated to be more than at any other point in human history.
Modern slavery takes many forms.
There is tied labour in India and Pakistan and child labour in China.
There is slavery in some African countries and there is domestic slavery in the form of Filipino maids in some Middle Eastern countries.
Even Britain isn’t free of it. Foreign women are trafficked here and forced into prostitution.
We face a big challenge when the Olympics come here in 2012.
It has been estimated that 30,000 women were trafficked into Germany for prostitution for the World Cup in 2006.
Writes for Sun ... William Wilberforce, the great-great-great-great grandson of William Wilberforce
I understand police fear there may be a similar problem in Britain for the Olympics.
At the root of much modern slavery is inequality of income.
It is a serious problem and one that isn’t helped by ill-informed comments such as those made by Blatter.
Maybe he is not aware of all the issues.
Whatever the reason, instead of bandying about words such as slavery, Blatter and Ronaldo would be better advised debating employment laws.
Obviously, Ronaldo is a wonderful footballer and Blatter is an able administrator but they are straying into territory of which they are ignorant.
One thing is for sure – if Ronaldo is a slave, he’s the highest paid one in the history of the universe.
thesun.co.uk