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Jules Boykoff

@julesboykoff.bsky.social
4.6K followers 419 following 1.1K posts

Political scientist. Poetry enthusiast. Author: Kicking (Duke UP, 2026); Red Card (OR Books, 2026); What Are the Olympics For? (Bristol UP 2024); NOlympians (Fernwood 2020); Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics (Verso 2016) www.julesboykoff.org

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Reposted by Jules Boykoff
Jessica Luther @jessicawluther.com · 4h
I have advocated in the past for announcers addressing the off-field gendered violence committed by athletes during games. But I am coming around to the belief that this is a bad idea. These men cannot handle the assignment and aren’t qualified. They could learn, yes, but they won’t.
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Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
New column for Eurosport (en français) on you guessed what.
eurosport.fr
Manchester City : c'est le football qu'on assassine
Reconnu officiellement coupable de triche et de mensonges auprès de la Premier League dans des proportions inimaginables, Manchester City est désormais un paria
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Stanis Elsborg @staniselsborg.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
With the breaking news about Manchester City's cheating, I think its time to make all of you aware of this group of people! The City case underlines the value of persistent investigative journalism. Great initiative by @philippeauclair.bsky.social go.bsky.app/6oxTr7j
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Nick McGeehan @ncgeehan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Has UEFA lied to the Football Association of Ireland about its anti-racism rules and protocols? If so, it should be a big problem for UEFA and the Israel Football Association. But only if the FAI takes this seriously and puts this latest incident in context. A 🧵 www.rte.ie/sport/soccer...
rte.ie
FAI investigating alleged racial abuse of Idah
An alleged racist incident involving Ireland goalscorer Adam Idah during the Israel Nations League game is being assessed by the FAI.
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Regardless of the final score in Ireland’s favour, they lost the minute they stepped on the pitch to play Israel." Exactly right. There are no victories when playing Israel "went vs the majority of the Irish people" + "succumbed to pressure to normalise genocide" www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...
For the past few months, Irish Sport for Palestine (ISFP), which I am part of, has been campaigning for Ireland to boycott its football matches against Israel. We believe playing against Israel legitimises a genocidal regime and gives cover for international law violations, apartheid and war crimes.

On Sunday, the match between the two teams went ahead in an almost empty stadium in Hungary. Regardless of the final score (3-0) in Ireland’s favour, they lost the minute they stepped on the pitch to play Israel. They lost because they went against the majority of the Irish people who do not want these matches to be played. They lost because they succumbed to pressure to normalise genocide.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Deep-dive into the controversy engulfing the UEFA Nations League fixtures btw Ireland & Israel. Irish Sport for Palestine's Rebecca O’Keeffe breaks it all down w/ @privaricate.bsky.social & @nkalamb.bsky.social on @endofsportpod.bsky.social ahead of Sunday's rematch open.spotify.com/episode/0hbo...
screenshot of an image that reads in all-caps text "Ireland Plays Despite Israel's Genocide" with a photo to the right of Gavin Bazunu of the Republic of Ireland's national soccer team
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Nick McGeehan @ncgeehan.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Gavin Bazunu's refusal to play against Israel merits a lot more attention, as does the fact that gross UEFA/FIFA misgovernance is (yet again) at the root of things. @julesboykoff.bsky.social and @edgeofsports.bsky.social give Bazunu the credit he richly deserves www.thenation.com/article/soci...
thenation.com
Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History
Bazunu’s decision raises the perennial question: Why is a country that is currently committing a genocide allowed to compete in the first place?
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Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
scoreboard www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Israel captain stokes feud by saying ‘our country is 10 times better than Ireland’
Manor Solomon has reacted angrily to the Republic of Ireland team’s behaviour before their Nations League match in protest at Israel’s military action in Gaza
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Dave Zirin @edgeofsports.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
My latest piece for @thenation.com written with the inimitable @julesboykoff.bsky.social His name is Gavin Bazunu and it's a name worth knowing. www.thenation.com/.../ireland-... "Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History"
thenation.com
Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History
Bazunu’s decision raises the perennial question: Why is a country that is currently committing a genocide allowed to compete in the first place?
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Josh Alston @joshalston.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I've been saying for years that being a Bolton Wanderers fan is morally the right thing to do and this is just more evidence in my case
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David Hull 胡大衛 @hushuo.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Ireland just really stepping it up lately.
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Derek Silva @derekcrim.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Today’s absolute must read from @julesboykoff.bsky.social and @edgeofsports.bsky.social. 👇👇👇
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Love the tidbit in this excellent piece about pubs in Ireland refusing to show the game out of BDS solidarity. I think the attempt by some on the Irish team to talk up the black armbands and handshake refusal is overstated. They had the opportunity to make a profound statement and that wasn’t it.
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Catherine Baker @richmondbridge.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
‘This is a footballer with a future, and in a climate where billionaire stadium owners notify artists that they won’t perform if they say “Free Palestine,” taking such a stand puts that future at risk’
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
My latest, co-written with @edgeofsports.bsky.social: "Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu’s Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History." For @thenation.com www.thenation.com/article/soci...
thenation.com
Irish Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu's Refusal to Play Against Israel Puts Him on the Right Side of History
Bazunu's decision raises the perennial question: Why is a country that is currently committing a genocide allowed to compete in the first place?
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Abdul El-Sayed @abdulelsayed.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
When I say we desperately need a Democratic doctor in the US Senate I mean it.
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Bradford William Davis @bwd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm so grateful for @jessicawluther.com and BIAD inviting me on their show!! She's been a model for me for years and I'm honored. Here's a primer on everything I've reported this year, and how you can help support what im after with [eyeblack] www.readeyeblack.com/p/investigat...
readeyeblack.com
Help us investigate how pro sports responds to victims of abuse
We've extensively detailed MLB's dysfunctions, and we're starting to look at the NBA and NFL. Take our survey to help.
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Catherine Baker @richmondbridge.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Also in things 🏳️‍🌈 venues have been working out since #Eurovision 2024: 140+ 🇮🇪 pubs didn’t screen the football when they always would have bsky.app/profile/jule... One club’s pro-boycott commercial officer compares this to Ed Sheeran/Macklemore 🇮🇪’s Bambie Thug on their own in same circs 3 years ago
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Dorian @tinkersalvage.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I have never really followed Fútbol, but I am now a Bazunu fan, specifically.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
In Ireland, numerous pubs refused to screen today's soccer match between Ireland and Israel. Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu stood on his principles and refused to play. Ireland players wore black armbands. And Ireland walloped Israel on the pitch 3-0. www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/...
aljazeera.com
‘It’s a mass movement’: Pubs in Ireland refuse to screen Israel match
Ireland has been thrust into the global spotlight over two controversial Nations League football games against Israel.
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Pallonate in Faccia @pallonateinfaccia.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
🇮🇪 #Ireland captain Dara O'Shea refused to shake hands with Israel captain Manor Solomon during tonight's Nations League match in Debrecen.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
With Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrawing from from today's match against Israel "based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong," his teammates—who decided to play the match wearing black armbands—are drubbing Israel on the pitch. 3-nil in the 39th minute
Screenshot of a football scorecard between Ireland and Israel. Ireland leads three to one. The scorecard includes the names of the goal scorers.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Local police forces use the Olympics like their own private cash machine, and the LA28 Games will be no exception. LAPD “is anticipating a $375.4 million price tag for officer overtime alone” during the period of the Olympics.
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henrik @onkelhenrik.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Bra. Alle andre i Irland sin tropp bør følgje etter.
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Café Fútbol @cafefutbol.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
¡España gana 2-3 en Wembley! Lamine nos adelantó nada más comenzar. Gordon y Cucurella (en propia meta) pusieron el 2-1 para Inglaterra, pero Baena y Oyarzabal han dado el triunfo a la campeona del Mundo. Se extiende a 40 el récord de partidos oficiales sin derrota de España.
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
It is actually fairly shameful that his teammates were confronted with this concrete example of principle and yet chose to betray it and him anyway.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Courage in action ➡️ Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Buzunu issues a statement on his decision to withdraw from Ireland squad for tomorrow's match against Israel: "My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong." www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
independent.ie
Gavin Bazunu releases statement on decision to withdraw from Ireland squad for Israel game
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
"Institutions that recruit international athletes & benefit from their athletic labor must build systems capable of supporting them when their immigration status places them at risk," write @nkalamb.bsky.social Simran Kaur Sethi, & @derekcrim.bsky.social in a powerful & important essay
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Bruce Arthur @brucearthur.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
AI can steal your brain, if not your soul. Don’t let it, is my advice. www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Bruce Arthur: Could AI be a trap for humanity? The evidence seems to be piling up
Whatever a soul is, the brain is where it starts. I’d prefer not to outsource mine, writes Bruce Arthur.
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
ICE has abducted Senegalese WBB player Aminata Seck and won't release her. DHS 'policy' is to provide medical care to prisoners at intake, yet they admit to denying her care for an ACL injury for 1.5 months. The NCAA is letting it happen, despite its predatory recruitment of ICAs. We explain.
theguardian.com
ICE has abducted a college athlete. What are the NCAA and universities going to do about it?
Aminata Seck’s detention shows the bargain facing international college athletes: universities eagerly recruit them, but support can disappear when their immigration status becomes precarious.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Read @karimzidan.com on "The Art of Not Banning Israel" from world soccer: "The Ireland-Israel fixtures expose the hypocrisy of the sport's balancing act on Palestine & the illusion that 'football unites the world'." www.sportspolitika.news/p/ireland-is...
sportspolitika.news
The Art of Not Banning Israel
The Ireland-Israel fixtures expose the hypocrisy of the sport's balancing act on Palestine and the illusion that “football unites the world.”
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Philip O'Connor @philipoconnor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
For those who have forgotten: Former Palestine captain Imad Zatara - whose teammates and extended family members have been killed - has asked Irish players, coaches, fans and broadcasters to boycott the games against Israel.
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Derek Silva @derekcrim.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
READ THIS.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
My new academic article—"Greenwashing in Technicolor: The 2026 FIFA World Cup"—was just published by @cnsjournal.bsky.social. 50 free copies are available here: www.tandfonline.com/eprint/XWNYM...
screenshot of academic article published by Capitalism Nature Socialism that reads: Greenwashing in Technicolor: The 2026 FIFA WorldCupIntroductionWhen the United States teamed up with Canada and Mexico in 2017 toadvance their bid for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, they foregrounded a com-mitment to staging an environmentally sustainable event. The words “sus-tainable” or sustainability” appeared in the bid document more than 250times. Bidders vowed that they had “embedded sustainability” in “everyaspect of our hosting vision and strategy – an approach we call ‘Sustainabil-ity+’” and that they would “go beyond the requirements outlined by FIFA, tocontribute measurably to sustainable development in our three countries,and to share what we’ve learned with the rest of the world” (United 20262017, 8). On a parallel track, FIFA President Gianni Infantino (FIFA 2022)implored football fans to “raise FIFA’s green card for the planet,” in order“to preserve the environment and save our world.” This program was partof FIFA’s stated “aim” to make the 2022 Qatar World Cup “carbonneutral.” The future was unequivocally green.Fast forward to 2026. The World Cup was the “most polluting” tourna-ment in history, with total greenhouse gas emissions hitting nearly twotimes the historical average for the event. Scientists for Global Responsibility(2025) conservatively projected that the tournament would generate a whop-ping 9 million tons of CO2, with air travel comprising around 7.7 milliontons of this hefty carbon budget. This amounted to more than four timesthat of the average for tournaments staged between 2010 and 2022. Theresearchers noted that the worst-case upper estimate for air transport wassignificantly higher: approximately 13.7 million tons of CO2. In part, thiswas because FIFA chose three host countries – Canada, Mexico, and theUnited States – that stretch across a massive territorial expanse. The dis-tances that teams and fans needed to travel – under strict time constraints– re…
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Republic of Ireland men's national team football coach says his team would be “playing against genocide” when facing Israel in the Nations League.The Israel Football Association goes Trumpian edgelord mode, says coach displays “stupidity, ignorance, and hypocrisy." www.nytimes.com/athletic/761...
nytimes.com
Israel FA says Republic of Ireland coach has ‘stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy’ after genocide comments
Heimir Hallgrimsson said his team would be "playing against genocide" when they face Israel twice over the international break.
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Dave Zirin @edgeofsports.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Come on out to Powell’s on Wednesday! Powell’s is an international treasure.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Portland! Looking forward to Wednesday when @edgeofsports.bsky.social discusses his new book—"The People's Historian: The Outsized Life of Howard Zinn"—at @powells.bsky.social with @devonpouncey.bsky.social. Not to be missed! www.powells.com/events/dave-...
powells.com
Dave Zirin in Conversation With DeVon Pouncey
The Legendary Independent Bookstore
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PDXToddDiskin @pdxtoddiskin.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
So today was a pretty fantastic day. It was beautiful in PDX. Autumn, baby! I got to hand out with some great folks. The @107ist.org is dialed in and doing good. We hosted @julesboykoff.bsky.social at the Axe & Rose. The Booked! Library committee, which I've been part of for a while, was fortunate
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
ICE abducted a WBB player while she was traveling with her Kentucky State team in early August at Louisville airport. She has been imprisoned for 1.5 months and denied care for a serious ACL injury. It is the responsibility of universities and the NCAA to protect their players. They have failed.
Aminata Seck, 26, a student-athlete at Kentucky State University, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport while traveling with her school's basketball team Aug. 7, said Sadiqa Reynolds, a lawyer helping coordinate Seck's case.

Seck's team was headed to New York for a tournament, and she was taken into custody after going through airport security, said Reynolds, former president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League.
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
🚨TODAY🚨 Please join us at the @107ist.org in downtown Portland address below). 2pm kickoff! #RCTID #BAONPDX
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PDXToddDiskin @pdxtoddiskin.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
We're doing this today! If you missed out on registering online, drop in. We'd love to have you.
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maria @mgabrielles.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Today
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Please join us *TOMORROW* @2pm at the Axe & Rose in downtown Portland. Should be fun! #RCTID #BAONPDX
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Nathan Tankus @nathantankus.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Proud of my friend @drmitchpdx.bsky.social for being under business lobby attack. Help him fight back. www.mobilize.us/mitch4portla...
mobilize.us
Mitch Green for Portland City Council · Mitch Green for Portland City Council (OR Working Families Party) on Mobilize
Donate, volunteer, and vote for Mitch Green to win a seat in District 4 for Portland City Council. Let's go.
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Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Vital piece here from Martin McNair, father of Jordan McNair, and @traumacode.bsky.social on the dangers of heat for athletes and the need to be able to execute an emergency response plan—something Maryland and Arizona St completely failed, to devastating effect. www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/s...
theguardian.com
My son’s death during a college football workout was preventable. Lessons must be learned
Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich is fighting for his life after collapsing during practice. Tragedies like this can be avoided
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair speaks out after being fined by the NFL for wearing the name of Palestinian child Hind Rajab on his eye black during a game. Rajab was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. NBA player Kyrie Irving offered to pay the fine. www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfe...
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Nick McGeehan @ncgeehan.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Ceferin and Montagliani just outed themselves: - They're not interested in reform. - Their plan is to make a rotten system even worse. - No different from Infantino www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Uefa and Concacaf ask Gianni Infantino to give Fifa’s billions to its member associations
Aleksander Ceferin and Victor Montagliani have proposed a payout of at least $10m to each association and want the plan to be considered by the Fifa Council
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David Storey @davidstoreygeog.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
"Fifa’s patronage system is a powerful sedative for dissent: it distributes millions to football associations around the globe under a system of clientelism grounded in fidelity and orchestrated with scant public oversight" @julesboykoff.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
What can halt Fifa’s authoritarian turn under Infantino? Change from the outside | Jules Boykoff
The World Cup and its aftermath made clear that Fifa needs independent oversight by governments and NGOs dedicated to preserving the people’s game
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The Big Bopper @thebigbopper.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Somebody forgot to check whether they owned the domain name ditchmitchgreen.com before they put it on a billboard 😈
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Jules Boykoff @julesboykoff.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Really enjoyed this conversation on soccer politics with former professional footballer Billy Merck. We dug into my memoir "Kicking" (@dukepress.bsky.social) & "Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, & the FIFA Greed Machine" (@orbooks.bsky.social) as well as Portland soccer history & politics
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