Summary
Overview
In this special two-part investigation, the hosts explore one of the darkest conspiracy theories ever examined on the show: the claim that the CIA poisoned England goalkeeper Gordon Banks before a crucial 1970 World Cup match. Joined by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse, who investigated this theory for his podcast 'Foul Play,' they examine the motive, means, and opportunity for such an operation, including CIA involvement in Brazil, the agency's documented use of non-lethal toxins, and the extensive intelligence networks in 1970s Mexico. While no smoking gun emerges, the circumstantial evidence proves more compelling than initially expected, leading to a nuanced discussion about what intelligence agencies were capable of during this pre-oversight era.
The Conspiracy Theory and Its Source
The episode begins by revisiting the shocking allegation that the CIA might have poisoned England's goalkeeper Gordon Banks during the 1970 World Cup. What initially seemed like obvious nonsense gained credibility through its source: Senator Stuart Symington of Missouri, who served on Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees and was personally close to CIA Director Richard Helms. Despite being a fourth-hand source chain, the credibility of the ultimate source—a senior U.S. senator with direct CIA briefings—was enough to warrant serious investigation.
- The claim involves the CIA possibly poisoning Gordon Banks before a crucial match, leading to England's defeat and boosting Brazil's repressive dictatorship
- The source is Senator Stuart Symington of Missouri (1952-1976), who served on key committees and was close to CIA Director Richard Helms
- Despite being third or fourth-hand information, the quality of the ultimate source made it credible enough to investigate
" When I saw that I was like okay this is more than just some bloke heard it in a pub right "
CIA's Means: Non-Lethal Toxins and Salmonella
Gabriel Gatehouse's investigation uncovered compelling evidence that the CIA possessed both the capability and the specific toxin to incapacitate someone temporarily. Through declassified Church Committee hearings from 1975, he found testimony from CIA biologist Nathan Gordon describing "substances that can give you a real severe case of the tummies" with "potential application in the field" to render someone "out of operation." Most remarkably, an appendix to the testimony listed Salmonella among the CIA's stockpile of toxins in March-April 1970, just months before the World Cup.
- The Church Committee hearings in 1975 revealed the CIA had secretly retained biological toxins despite President Nixon's order to destroy them
- CIA biologist Nathan Gordon testified about non-lethal substances that could give people severe digestive problems to render them 'out of operation'
- A CIA document from March/April 1970 listed Salmonella among the agency's stockpile of toxins, just months before the World Cup
" There are certain substances that can give you a real severe case of the tummies, as we like to call it. This has a potential application in the field, because if you want to render a certain person out of operation, out of contention at a certain time, at a certain place, this is very, very useful. "
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