Where Is Fifa!
08 February 2012
In the Heysel disaster in Brussels in 1985, 39 Juventus fans died in a game against Liverpool after there were clashes between rival fans.
All English clubs were banned from European competition for five years. For five years people remembered the 39 fallen. European soccer learnt from that incident.
In 1989 the Hillsborough disaster saw 96 fans die in a game between Liverpool and Sheffield Wednesday. The response was immediate, English clubs became all-seaters and perimeter fencing was removed to avoid any chance of another scenario where fans were crushed to death.
It seems Europe’s dead are remembered, that their deaths mean something because clubs, governments and football governing bodies respond. But what of African football’s tragedies? What of the fans that needlessly die in Africa’s beautiful game? Why did the Ellis Park disaster happen, when just 10 years earlier the Orkney disaster happened? Same teams, same fans, same tragic ending. Did the fans that died in the Orkney disaster not mean enough to ensure that everything was done to prevent anything like that ever happening again? Why did it take another disaster, another tragic loss of life for the point to be hammered home?
As it stands, the count is at 79 fans dead in Egypt after travelling to Port Said Stadium to watch a soccer game. How swords and knives got into the stadium is a mystery. Surely there must be some mandate by Fifa, by Caf, by the Egyptian soccer federation to prevent these weapons being carried into stadiums. When Fifa comes to Africa and there are European fans entering our stadiums, we are warned that Vuvuzelas may be seen as weapons and thus banned if we are not careful, yet swords get into Egyptian football stadiums where volatile crowds are mixing at big games. As the governing body of world football, where is Fifa in all of this? Will Caf have to answer for this to Fifa? Will the Egyptian soccer federation have to answer for this to Caf? What are the consequences?
Fifa spend millions politicking for votes from the African region to keep themselves entrenched in their ivory towers in Switzerland but can’t oversee and enforce measures which protect and safeguard the lives of the African fans? Did the 49 Egyptians who died in 1974 in a soccer stampede mean nothing? Wasn’t that a red flag to soccer’s governing bodies that police world football that maybe Egyptian stadiums, stadium security on match day and everything else should be looked at and upgraded? Egypt host one of club football’s biggest world derby games, surely Fifa need to make sure something filters down to protect the lives of those watching it? Did the 126 that died in 2001 in Ghana at a soccer game die for nothing or was there a lesson learnt? Did their deaths result in changes in African football?
Looking at the latest edition of the African Cup of Nations, I would say that the standards and requirements that Fifa apply to Europe’s top competitions and games are simply not in place for Africa’s top competitions and games. A European country wanting to host a competition has to have top stadiums, prove that they can control crowds and sift out ‘bad crowd elements’ that could prove to be a safety concern. That doesn’t seem to happen in Africa, unless the World Cup comes to town, where there is massive money to be made.
On their official page, Fifa outlines their mission, stating:
OUR PROMISE
For the Game. For the World.
The world is a place rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity, but also one where many are still deprived of their basic rights. FIFA now has an even greater responsibility to reach out and touch the world, using football as a symbol of hope and integration.
Only with the unwavering dedication of every FIFA team member, every member association and every business partner can football in all its forms contribute to achieving FIFA's goals at a high level by protecting standards, encouraging competition and promoting solidarity in the world game.
And so I ask, is football under Fifa seen as a symbol of hope and integration in Africa? Are Fifa protecting standards in African football? Is Fifa delivering on its promise to African football?
Sepp Blatter recently showed his thoughts on racism in the game when he commented on the John Terry issue, I’m starting to wonder if the head of the world game has similar thoughts on the African continent and our fans.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Egypt’s fallen.
Shapa Clint!
Click here to follow Clint on Twitter.
comments
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Date: 15 March 2012, Time: 12:00:49
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Submitted by: xiaofangs
Date: 15 March 2012, Time: 12:00:08
Mayb fifa doesn't belong 2 africa by the way they treat us I thnk hayatou must go fuc him
Submitted by: magents02
Date: 09 February 2012, Time: 12:14:44
This is not a FIFA problem, i still remember Peter's column abt Ajax vs Chiefs(or Pirates) game, he knew who to blame unlike you
Submitted by: Unknown Citizen
Date: 09 February 2012, Time: 07:23:02
Order of responsibility 1 home team 2 the Egyptian league 3 Egyptian FA 4 Caf nd lastly Fifa, so i dont c how u can blame all this on fifa, nd by the way the paragraph "standards nd requirements that fifa apply to Europes top competitions and games r simply not in place 4 Africa's " is jst bull that has 2 do with Uefa and Caf, i
Submitted by: Mankgs7
Date: 08 February 2012, Time: 16:15:58
MrStr8bnuff wat mr aditor is sayin its ryt.y caf n fifa approvs dis typ of stadiums.y da cretaria of approvin is differ to europe.chek da ongoin Afrca cup of nation,are those grounds enough to host a big cup lyk dis.instead of playin futball playaz swim.fifa is foolin us.europ's trainin grounds ar better dan most african national stadias
Submitted by: hardymgadyadza
Date: 08 February 2012, Time: 12:41:30
Well,Mr Editor as far as understand it these guys(FIFA)are only interested in making frofit than saving lives in the game.
Submitted by: Mgubela weBucs
Date: 08 February 2012, Time: 11:44:33
There is this chronic illness in Africa to always point fingers at Blatter even for things out of his hands. How is Fifa supposed to have made sure the egypt situation doesn't occur. It is the egyptians fans fault. PERIOD! If Egyptian authorities can't take charge of their own security how is Caf or Fifa supposed to do it. Don't just fill paper with empty words for the sake of an article.
Submitted by: str8nuff
Date: 08 February 2012, Time: 11:40:23