Ephrem Endale: Contributer
Well I’m sorry to say it that many people around here didn’t cheer on the youngish US soccer team. Not that people had any dark spots for these promising young people. They sure are full of promises. In any normal time football lovers would have applauded them for the promises they hold. Not this time around. I have yet to come with someone who cheered them on during their game with the Iranian team. No need to come the root of the problem which made compatriots turn their backs on that team. History isn’t that old!
But something we should admit is that we, too, were caught the snare of politics which is giving sport a bad, really band face. If ‘normal’ was the case as it should have been we at least should have applauded teams despite whichever country they represent. Because it is not about political rivalry and however the political elite of the ‘other country’ might be acting the doors should have been locked to prevent their prejudices from contaminating the one peaceful sector where people meet in the spirit of brotherhood whatever their political differences, even enmity, might be. That’s what they are trying to rob us.
You know, sport venues should be places of peace and tranquility; places where parents take their kids because they know they are places where the best of humanity is expected to be displayed; places where all the racism, hatred,…evils of the world should have no place. Things unfortunately are not looking that bright these days looking that good. A very unwelcome and unwanted ‘guest’ is creeping into that most beautiful of sports and in the evilest of ways; Politics! Some sections are trying to dump their prejudices on the sport.
You know why politics these days is becoming so unpleasant? Politicians are not doing their jobs and serve the people they are supposed to serve; should have stayed where they belonged in their offices, in their chambers a in their cocktail venues or whatever. Keep your hands off soccer!
Little by little football matches are becoming not only about display of skills and talents but also about politics. They are trying to make football games and results political statements. It is not about the so-called ‘global’ politicians most of whom appear to thrive through chaos. The sad part is even innocent football fans are being sucked into the belly of hate, arrogance, ego and of course, the vilest of sins, racism. And politics doesn’t differentiate and always loves putting everyone of ‘the other side’ in the same basket.
Take the run-up to the US-Iran ‘showdown’ (They made it sound it was nothing but a showdown!) was as interesting as the game itself. All kinds of nonsense flew from those same places where surplus nonsense is manufactured every minute and spewed to all corners of the world; nonsense and analysis which fly in the face of the very ultimate goal of the sport… peace and brotherhood! That is what the conspiracy-free real world community wants and expects from sports game.
Someone telling me that there were even some across the Atlantic saying that playing with Iran would be going soft on them. Going soft about what! Of course, about that nuclear thing and all that, what else! What the hell does that mean? I mean there are respected places where they deal with such issues. Does politics have to pluck its nose so deep into what is expected to be free of poetical motivation or bias? And what solution were they proposing! Boycott! Yes, if current global politics isn’t weird, nothing is.
By the way speaking about the sport itself many players would have done justice to themselves than the sport if they give as much attention to developing their skills as they gave to the tattoos covering their bodies. I mean they should have known by now that if they don’t have the skills to show believe me and no one would care a hoot about their tattoos. You know what I think… some have so many tattoos on almost every square inch of their body they must be at loggerheads with the Creator complaining why He gave human beings so few body parts. Ha! I mean they seem to have run out of empty space for more of those mostly tattoos.
A player who takes off his shirt for no reason at all is showing off. That’s it! He wanted his tattoos to be witnessed. Sometimes you don’t blame who mess up their team’s opportunities; I mean with so much tattoo mess over their body no wonder that their nerves started acting in a queer way.
One media wrote that Christian Public put his body for sacrifice while scoring that goal! Scary; very scary indeed! In the first place he did what any forward would have done in his position. Slide for the inviting ball. But of course the goalie was coming out to prevent the goal from happening. And that their bodies clashed was the result. It is not sacrifices people expect from so football matches but skills. If you guys start taking such moves as sacrifices maybe you’re watching the wrong sport.
You can’t help going through media reaction mostly it hasn’t at all nice. They talked more about protests in Iran than the actual game. It was as if they loved off-the-pitch chaos than on-the-field performances. The headlines are about US beating Iran as they should rightly be. But the body of the news is about protests in Iran which for all practical purposes should have been left for the Iranians to solve. They don’t seem to be interested about the sport; but about the politics that they want to come with it.
Look Qatar World Cup has all the signs that the next World Cup will have a hell lot of problems as politics pushes away into the host beautiful and peaceful of statements. After the game the Iranians were very sad. It was heartwarming to see US players approaching and consoling them. Thumbs-up! That’s what sports competitions are about. That is what events like TT the FIFA World Cup or the Olympics are all about; peace and brotherhood. It’s only when politics tries to claim the seat at the head of the table things began going off track. In the final analysis a football game is a football game! One team winning any other team proves nothing more than maybe it played better or other circumstances helped it. After the ninety minutes every side is expected to call it a day!
After the glittering opening ceremony media outlets claimed all those in the stadium cheering were paid. Really! What about all the cheering crowds in other world cups! You can’t miss the arrogance behind such claims as we don’t remember such claims being made previously.
One thing is very sure; that a tiny, though insanely rich, nation could put up such display seems to have rattled racially-driven nerves an arrogance of those same circles who never tire belittling others and claiming the ultimate throne (if there ever is one) for themselves. But then, though it’s highly unlikely and absurd it is better to pay cheering crowds to bring the smiles to a world which craves for real smiles that paying and arming groups to destabilize their nations and create chaos. “The Devil Never Sleeps’ as Andrei Codrescu would tell you.
And the winner is…..
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 4 DECEMBER 2022