I feel it inappropriate and disgraceful for football country like south Africa to attack a country(Ghana) in the name of football. The game is to promote peace but not hate, if there’s any misunderstanding, I think we the football people know the measures to take to bring peace and understanding. In every organization there are rules and regulations that protect people from being bullied or cheated, yes, and we the football stakeholders also have that. There are appropriate measures you need to take if specifically you are being cheated in a football event(match) so far us your are under the mother body of football “FIFA”.
We are aware of protest written to FIFA by Bafana Bafana on their dissatisfaction of the officiating in the recent game between Ghana which could have seen them through to the next stage of world cup qualifications. I will not throw light on what actually transperred in the match but would love to talk about their “after actions” that will lead to hate and affect the relationship of both nations as result of football.
Danny Jordan, the SAFA president made a comment in their recent press conference addressing the steps taken to convince FIFA to replay Sunday’s world cup qualifier against Ghana, “If Ghana looses, there will be a major
socio-economic problems even for the president of the country” which I see it as an insult to entire country demonstring how weak Ghana is economically. Football in a way is an economy on it own but it tends to play a part in some areas of the a country’s economy such as employment, revenue, support the provision of social aminities and etcetera.Such comments can lead to mistrust to international investors for the country. What he emotionally said on the economy can be true but not factual, if you should consider Ghana siezing them from qualifying to both African cup and the world cup.If he had alot of time he could have attacked all sectors of the Ghanaian country just express his pain.
There’s an unofficial media report which I’m yet to confirm personally, a Ghanaian barber just passed on who was killed by a South African due to a an argument of same poor officiating of Sunday’s match. We don’t know the next bad news we might hear again but these actions are not healthy for football. As it stands now ,the few Ghanians there are not safe and I don’t see this as the best way to solve this. Football creates peace, binds and build relationships and not the other negative way.
If there’s no confidence in the game wheather loose or win then, there is no future for football in Africa, we should grow as football countries in Africa and do things right than to attack individual’s sectors and their people so far as lives and properties are concerned.
By:COBBY COLLINS, Tema city football scout
