 You're welcome back to the breakfast on Plus TV Africa. The last leg of our conversation is about sports and politics. Now, should political activism be brought into sports? That's one big question we're asking on sports with Oali Scott this morning. And that's because the English FA is unhappy with Manchester United's Paul Popper's raising of the Palestinian flag after his club's final home game of the season. Popper raised the flag with his teammate Amadialo Justice, two other players did last weekend. When Lester City beat Chelsea to the FA Cup final. We're glad to have you again, Oali Scott. Now, the first question really is, should men, women's sportsmen and women be allowed to express their political sympathy or political lean into a cause on the pitch? Honestly, for me, no. Yes, they have a right to have their personal lives outside their jobs. Yes. And of course, they'll have their political affiliations in their houses. They'll have whatever thing they support in their houses. But I think when you are a public figure, when you're in the face of the public consistently, there are some things you just let go. You don't bring them to the fore. We remember that Mezut Ozil got involved in the Turkey-Germany Rao. His mother was Turkish. He played for the German national team, the D.M.N. Shafts. And he got involved in going to Turkey regularly. And the German team actually called him and said, listen, stop going to Turkey regularly. It's that bad. You're in the public glare. You play for the D.M.N. Shafts. Germany and Turkey are in bad terms. And he said, no. And he involved his career almost went down the drain. Arsenal refused to play because Germany got involved in making sure he wasn't played. He actually had to go back to Turkey, left everything he had in Germany and sold them away. He now lives in Turkey, but now plays in Fenerbahçe in Turkey. What I'm saying is you can have those things and keep them at home. Why? The reason I'm asking is, I remember during the end-tiles protest, for example, everybody was excited. People were drooling when Nigerian players were speaking on behalf of the end-tiles protestors when Igalu made the statements. A lot of times, we've also seen Naomi Osaka speak with regards to the Black Lives Matter. She wears their names on her shirt and their face caps and all of that. LeBron James does the same thing. So why is it different when it's Palestine or when it's Turkey? What I mean is, even when it comes to Black Lives Matter, for example, I've always said that there are ways. It's a different ball game when a whole team, like three of us here, agreed to, we're talking against this this morning. You know, it's a different case when it's an ongoing war. Even Black Lives Matter, it actually became a case of a joint arrangement, you know? When you are in the public glare, there's something. For example, I have problems at home. I don't come to the office or frowning the program. Okay, Mr. Wallace Scott, I need to make sure we have a clear distinction between a personal issue. You've mentioned this for the second or third time now. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a personal matter. This is what's happening here now in Gaza is one of the worst hostilities between Israel and Palestine in recent time. Lots of people have died and most casualties are on the Palestinian front. So, other people will argue that Baba and his colleague Amadiyalo are not wrong to take a stand, you know, when it comes to the Palestinian conflict. I need to make sure that we know that that's sort of a personal thing. The Palestinian-Israel issue is just the case study for this morning. The study this morning is that should public figures bring their personal courses? What's the use of the influence that they have? Thank you very much. I'll give you a typical example. I will not be a political presenter and come on airwaves, a PDP or an APC shirt. You see, you can't afford to take sides. I know of people who are, I know a particular person who is a brand ambassador for an alcoholic beverage. He's never liked it. But let me, that analogy doesn't even work. It does. Listen, if you're a political presenter, if you're a news anchor, you know, you do politics, and you're taking sides on political parties, it's different from being a sports player. You are a footballer. Now, so if you're a footballer and then... People expect... If you say you are a footballer and then you're taking, you know, sides between FIFA and UEFA, that's a different thing entirely. I would have actually preferred that. That would be taking sides to them. But that's not football. But you see, it's a different analogy with politics and football. In this situation, the English FA, for example, let me stick their sides on this one. The English FA are saying, we have taken you as a footballer. You are a footballer. Basically, it's your face football issues. Let me give you an example. The manager of Paul Puber and Hammer Diallo have been told now that why did you question your players about what limits they can... You see, it's a thin line between what you can do as a public figure most times. I think that's how you should get it clear. We're not understanding the fact that, for example, a player who says he cannot wear a... It's a branded T-shirt sponsored for his club. He says he can't wear it because it's a betting company and because his religion does not agree to betting. After a while, he's not wearing it because, you see, the truth be said, we are public figures. But there's a limit to where we can take our activism to. Okay, so I think... Tell it on our job. I think one thing we need to consider here is the views of the people in those circles. Oleg Anasok just said he thinks, you know, they need to have players from different backgrounds, you know, people from different cultures, different countries. And what he's saying is basically is that they respect the views of Pobah and they respect the views of any other person who carry out... Who carry the Palestinian flag and saying that even, you know, two other people who carry the Palestinian flag saying they would not face any disciplinary action, saying they have the right to express their views. So really, there's a lot in this issue because, number one, we're talking about the influence of these people. Nobody would have been grown up against Pobah at this point if he was in the confines of his room or with his family or with his friends and they have a Palestinian flag. So basically you're saying that for Pobah should not... I don't agree with that. I don't agree with that. The activism on the job. You're saying... You're saying that. I don't agree with that. The things that Ozeel did, the things that you, sorry, apologies, that you mentioned that Ozeel did, you know, were they done on the pitch? Ozeel's case, no. And that's why the German government, we are only saying this because we know from underground gist that the German government, companies like Adidas got involved and said, listen, don't play this guy in Asinatine. If you do play him, none of our kids should be on him and the company actually kicks them. So without babying kids by them, he can't play. Can I ask a question, Wale Scott? Can I ask a question? If Pobah was on the other side of things and he was carrying an Israeli flag, would you argue different? That's my point. They are saying that if you have to do, to have to go against a particular course and everything, not in the course of doing your job. So then what is the essence? He would have tried getting flagged. So Wale Scott, my simple question to you then is, if you're saying that a person with such influence has thousands and millions of fans around the world, if such a person should not be allowed to use their influence, then what is the use of having such influence if you're banned from exercising it? Doing it on your job is my problem. I don't say anything wrong with if Pobah goes on Twitter. Naomi Osaka carried out her activism on the tennis court. And Naomi Osaka has told the world, even, forget that. Even recently, she was on the news saying that she doesn't think the Tokyo Olympics should go on. You understand? But every match she has played in the last few weeks, she has been involved in opens, tennis opened so far. I have not seen Naomi where it sheds in. No, Tokyo Olympic Games. No, but that's on our job. Tokyo is not political. I'm talking of the times when she wore the names of black Americans that had been killed by police. During the George Floyd, you know, sometime in 2020. You still don't see the police. No, but this is the exact same thing. She's doing it on the pitch. She's doing it on the court. Yes. It's the case of, will I be allowed to do this? Will this cause any serious issues? Say, exactly. Why is Pobah's house not causing issues? But why is Pobah's room causing an issue? No. Exactly, exactly. Pobah is not the only person involved in this situation. Ahmad Diallo is involved. Yes. Two of them. Two of them. Two of them. Two of them. Two of them. Great. So why are these four players, why is it their own cost on the property? When Black Lives Matter started, initially when it first started, we knew people looking back and saying, listen, don't do your activism on the cost of the job. I have nothing wrong with it, Pobah. I have my Twitter handle. I know what I do. You know, I know I start on. Say, quickly to wrap it up, Wally Scott. I agree with what you said, right? Talking about what's the impact of your influence. Carrying the Palestinian flag, I believe that people who have influence, that's the reason why they have influence. They should be able to use their influence. If a child has been molested and I have a big voice, I should be able to use my voice to speak out for issues that matter. I think the issue, just like I said, that I agree with you, is what is the impact of your influence? Because we know that, like I said, the Palestinian conflict with Israel is one of the... This is just the case for the go. Hold on. It's a very big issue right now because we know that people have been protesting in Germany, in France, everywhere across the world, protesting in support of Palestine, right? And, you know, the conflict is ongoing and international powers have been calling for a ceasefire. So the question is, since Pogpaba has used his influence now to preach for the Palestinian cause, what impact would that make? Would it help in dowsing the tension or would it help in escalating it? I think that's where the focus should be. It's obviously going to help. Not insane, they should not use that influence to speak when they can. It's obviously going to help. He has his fan base everywhere across the world. It's going to help the Palestinians. Did he hold the flag and say preach peace? He actually held the flag and did a run of honours around the field. Okay. After the man. So I think that's what really matters. What's the impact of your influence? It's not about... I want to say that nobody should use their influence. Don't fight for your cause. Don't use your platform or your fan base to fight for your cause. Don't do it on the job. That's your stance. Guys, we have to wrap up here. Thank you very much, Wally Scott, for sharing your thoughts with regards to sports and political activism. Here's what we draw the curtains on. The final edition for the week on the Breakfast on Plus TV Africa. If you miss out on any part of our conversation, you can catch up with us at Plus TV Africa on all our social media platforms. And do subscribe to our YouTube channel at Plus TV Africa and our new YouTube channel at Plus TV Africa Lifestyle. I am Annette Felix. And I am Osaugi Obama. See you at 9am. Good morning.