The Meaning of Headlines: "cries foul"

The Meaning of Headlines: "cries foul" - FIFA

Much has been discussed in the media about FIFA – its presidential election and the outcome of the arrests of several officials on corruption charges, and the future of the organization. Online BBC News had a headline on May 28, 2015, that stated “Russia cries foul: Fifa arrests ‘a conspiracy’ say Moscow.” What does “cries foul” mean?

The Dictionary.Cambridge.org defines “cry foul” as “to say that something that has happened is unfair or illegal.”

The article says “As the rest of the world debates the exposure of corruption at the heart of Fifa, all the talk swirling in Russia is of a conspiracy.” It explains that President Vladimir Putin views the pressure on Mr. Joseph Sep Blatter, president of FIFA, as “punishment for continuing to support Russia as host for the 2018 World Cup.” Therefore Russia does believe that something is unfair.

The scorecard for the BBC News headline is 100%: Russia is “crying foul” – the article has shown that Russia believes the arrests of FIFA’s officials is unfair or illegal. Note that the article doesn’t have to prove that the actions are unfair or illegal, only that Russia thinks that they are.

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