Perspectives on African Football: Why Should Africa Participate in the 2018 World Cup?

It is six years to the next world cup and yes, I know its early but the question needs to be asked:

As is unfolding in the lead up to the European championships, it is clear there is a serious problem of racism in football in Eastern Europe, of which Russia is an integral part.

The Russian league season has been blighted by incidents of racism. What began with the throwing of bananas at Roberto Carlos has since spread to the Ivorien born Dacosta Goore, Nigeria's Emmanuel Emenike and Peter Odenwigie, and Congo's Chris Samba. In response the Russian football authorities have set of a Task Force on Racism in Football, on paper a bold move... But it is the action of the Russian FA on reported incidents of racism that speaks louder!

Emmanuel Emenike of Spartak Moscow was recently fined US$17,000 for an offensive gesture towards Dynamo Moscow fans who racially abused him. Here is a report on this from BBC Sports:

"We decided it was an adequate punishment," said Vladimir Vasilyev, a Russian FA's ethics committee official.

However Spartak coach Valery Karpin said the FA had failed to address the racist abuse. "I have to agree that Emenike did something that he should not have done," the former Russia international told reporters. "But at the same time I couldn't follow logic in the FA's decision as they didn't take any action against the Dynamo fans who had racially abused Emenike," he said. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17572890

This is the environment to which Issa Hayatou and CAF are willy nilly sending African footballers and fans to.

It is easy to see in this so called Task Force, parallels to the events leading up to the 1936 Olympics Games. I imagine that as the world cup nears, local spectators and residents will be 're-educated' and primed to be at their best behavior for all of the 2-3 weeks that the foreigners are around and ready to return to the status quo once they have departed.

This is the country whose bid Issa Hayatou is said to have supported in the 2nd round of voting for hosting the world cup.

If such reports are true, the question needs to be asked, what was Hayatou thinking in voting for Russia? What guarantees did he seek and what was promised?

If Issa Hayatou and CAF cannot sufficiently look out for the interests or speak out for African footballers repeatedly abused for the color of their skin, on what basis should he then be seeking yet another term?

PS: The decision by UEFA on the concerns about racism at Euro 2012 reflect my concerns about this issue and especially why CAF must seek guarantees to protect African players and fans.

UEFA has decided that incidents of racism are best left to the referees to address and that any player walking off the field, like Balotelli has threatened to do will recieve a caution via a yellow card.

Thats all well and good. But in the heat of the moment, reality is somethings are more important than football- self dignity.

Let there be no misunderstanding. What UEFA's primary goal here is, is to protect the game; their game, AND then the player, in that order.

The anguish on the faces of Marc Zoro and Eto Fils reacting after finally having had enough is very instructive Link. The reaction of both players is evidence that somethings transcend football.

The referees do indeed have a responsibility. But they must get on top of the situation immediately. If not, the rules will not be enough...

As it turns out, some of the worst fears about Russian fans is proving to be true as UEFA is investigating possible racist abuse of Czech defender Theodor Gebre Selassie, who is of Ethiopian descent.

This clearly brings to sharp relief, the need for CAF and Hayatou to seek guarantees on behalf of African players and fans, as well as develop a mechanism for monitoring the work of the Russian Task Force on racism in football.

Perspectives on African Football