Exposed at the Back by Guy; Arild; Puzey Stavrum Page B
Authors: Guy; Arild; Puzey Stavrum
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clue.’
‘I still don’t quite understand why this is just being ignored.’
‘It’s hard to prove it beyond all doubt. Even just diagnosing an illness is an uncertain business, while etiology, finding the cause of an illness, is harder still. We know that tyre rubber causes lung irritation and allergic reactions to the eyes and skin, we know it’s led to cancer and impaired development, as well as liver and kidney damage. It’s even been linked to autism. But it’s harder to prove that an illness might originate from the ground rubber granules in synthetic turf. The number of MRSA patients might be rising in parallel with the number of artificial grass pitches, but can we prove the link? My opinion is that we need to use our heads. If there are so many chemicals that are proven dangerous present in artificial turf and in the granules they use to cover the pitches, then there’s a risk. I’m convinced this is how Jakobsen got lung cancer. I can’t prove it, but I’m convinced about it. And what’s really ironic is that the other kind of astroturfing has a lot to do with it.’
‘The other kind?’
‘Astroturfing was an expression first used in the United States about fake grassroots movements, ordinary people coming forward to singthe praises of some product or another. Think about how many positive stories you’ve read about synthetic grass. Local council leaders cutting ribbons and happy children in the sunshine on a perfect green mat. The Language Council of Norway should really consider introducing “astroturfing” as a new word in Norwegian.’
‘But what’s the motivation behind hushing it up?’
‘The similarities with the tobacco industry are frightening. For decades, smoking was made to look harmless. What for?’
‘Money?’
‘Exactly. The tobacco industry suppressed research, positive reports were bought, film stars went on smoking and critics were subjected to smear campaigns. Enormous sums of money were involved. The same goes for artificial grass. Have you thought about how much money’s in it? Hundreds of pitches that need to be replaced every five years, on average. Hundreds of new ones every year. Indoor pitches. A couple of hundred seven-a-side pitches. Almost 2,000 multi-use games areas. All this is a breeding ground for a cynical new billion-kroner industry that doesn’t want the research to get out. An industry with all the power invested in that man there,’ said Bjørnar, grabbing the sports supplement from the table and pointing at the photo of Arild Golden. ‘If I were the police, I’d look for the people who got their hands on Golden’s rights to build artificial pitches.’
No Concrete Evidence
Benedikte stepped out of a silver-grey taxi and went up the stairs to the Ekeberg Restaurant’s outdoor veranda. A waiter stopped long enough for her to grab a glass of Sancerre.
The brown and blue wooden chairs were all taken, and with the crush, two of the patrons trod in the fountain. The veranda was on the small side for all the people who’d chosen to come and bid farewell to Arild Golden, while maybe also saying hello at the same time to the agents, players and other people looking for power in the wake of Golden’s exit. Benedikte couldn’t spot anybody who really looked sad. Were people just looking for new opportunities after Golden’s death? Was the killer here?
On the small, makeshift stage between the stairs and the long white bar where Benedikte stood, Sabrina was getting ready. Just behind the stage was a gigantic green plastic plant that made Sabrina look even smaller, if such a thing were possible. ‘Tabletop tits’ was what they called her in journalistic circles, and she couldn’t be more than 5 feet tall at most. Perhaps she lied on her passport too, just like Benedikte, who liked to have her height listed as 5 feet 7 inches, even though it meant she always had to go through passport control on tiptoes.
Sabrina pulled herself up, making a
‘I still don’t quite understand why this is just being ignored.’
‘It’s hard to prove it beyond all doubt. Even just diagnosing an illness is an uncertain business, while etiology, finding the cause of an illness, is harder still. We know that tyre rubber causes lung irritation and allergic reactions to the eyes and skin, we know it’s led to cancer and impaired development, as well as liver and kidney damage. It’s even been linked to autism. But it’s harder to prove that an illness might originate from the ground rubber granules in synthetic turf. The number of MRSA patients might be rising in parallel with the number of artificial grass pitches, but can we prove the link? My opinion is that we need to use our heads. If there are so many chemicals that are proven dangerous present in artificial turf and in the granules they use to cover the pitches, then there’s a risk. I’m convinced this is how Jakobsen got lung cancer. I can’t prove it, but I’m convinced about it. And what’s really ironic is that the other kind of astroturfing has a lot to do with it.’
‘The other kind?’
‘Astroturfing was an expression first used in the United States about fake grassroots movements, ordinary people coming forward to singthe praises of some product or another. Think about how many positive stories you’ve read about synthetic grass. Local council leaders cutting ribbons and happy children in the sunshine on a perfect green mat. The Language Council of Norway should really consider introducing “astroturfing” as a new word in Norwegian.’
‘But what’s the motivation behind hushing it up?’
‘The similarities with the tobacco industry are frightening. For decades, smoking was made to look harmless. What for?’
‘Money?’
‘Exactly. The tobacco industry suppressed research, positive reports were bought, film stars went on smoking and critics were subjected to smear campaigns. Enormous sums of money were involved. The same goes for artificial grass. Have you thought about how much money’s in it? Hundreds of pitches that need to be replaced every five years, on average. Hundreds of new ones every year. Indoor pitches. A couple of hundred seven-a-side pitches. Almost 2,000 multi-use games areas. All this is a breeding ground for a cynical new billion-kroner industry that doesn’t want the research to get out. An industry with all the power invested in that man there,’ said Bjørnar, grabbing the sports supplement from the table and pointing at the photo of Arild Golden. ‘If I were the police, I’d look for the people who got their hands on Golden’s rights to build artificial pitches.’
No Concrete Evidence
Benedikte stepped out of a silver-grey taxi and went up the stairs to the Ekeberg Restaurant’s outdoor veranda. A waiter stopped long enough for her to grab a glass of Sancerre.
The brown and blue wooden chairs were all taken, and with the crush, two of the patrons trod in the fountain. The veranda was on the small side for all the people who’d chosen to come and bid farewell to Arild Golden, while maybe also saying hello at the same time to the agents, players and other people looking for power in the wake of Golden’s exit. Benedikte couldn’t spot anybody who really looked sad. Were people just looking for new opportunities after Golden’s death? Was the killer here?
On the small, makeshift stage between the stairs and the long white bar where Benedikte stood, Sabrina was getting ready. Just behind the stage was a gigantic green plastic plant that made Sabrina look even smaller, if such a thing were possible. ‘Tabletop tits’ was what they called her in journalistic circles, and she couldn’t be more than 5 feet tall at most. Perhaps she lied on her passport too, just like Benedikte, who liked to have her height listed as 5 feet 7 inches, even though it meant she always had to go through passport control on tiptoes.
Sabrina pulled herself up, making a
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