Just a few days ago a bus carrying the national team from Togo was met with gunfire from a separatist movement in the host nation Angola. The attack resulted in the deaths of three associates of the club and many injuries including some of the players.The team wished to stay and compete in honor of the fallen but, against their wishes, top authorities called them home. Team captain Emmanuel Adebayor had this to say to RMC (French radio), "We had a meeting between players yesterday (Saturday) and we told ourselves we were football players and decided to do something nice for our country by playing to pay tribute to those who died ... Unfortunately, the head of state and the country's authorities have made a different decision, so we will pack and go home."
Unfortunately, this incident may put the international view of soccer in Africa in jeopardy in a time that was representative of positive progression. Currently, Africa is getting long-past due recognition in the realm of soccer. The continent hosted the under 20 World Cup in Egypt this past September (which Ghana won, making them the first African team to capture the championship), the under 17 World Cup in October and the 2010 World Cup this summer will be held in South Africa marking the first time that the international competition will be hosted in Africa.
One can't help but to think that this could have negative effects on the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. An act of terror in Angola says little if anything about security in South Africa but the world has a tendency to lump all of Africa together as if it was one singular nation, one singular culture, one singular entity. Africa is a vast continent made up of 53 nations spread out over nearly 12 million square miles yet people are so quick to connect the entire land. I fear this isolated incident, which occurred hundreds of miles away from the World Cup sites, could dampen the upcoming historical event.
Do you think this will affect the 2010 World Cup? If so, will those actions be justified? Please comment below with your responses – I'm interested to hear what you all have to say.
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It's interesting that the continent is just now getting some mainstream, international recognition for the sport but from where I'm sitting, it's still shown through the eyes of white folk. For example, the movie Invictus - about a South African soccer team - stars Matt Damon. I haven't seen the movie, so I can only go on the previews, but it seems like the recognition that teams across Africa are finally getting is still sullied by Western culture.
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