Omar,
I don't know what this thing is about military leaders being unable
to use their brains. When I first saw the story on TV, I dismissed it as
another of those 'Western' stories meant to denigrate Africans. I could not
see the logic in it.
I still remember vividly (though I was still a kid) how Senegal
defeated The Gambia by 7 - 0, Guinea defeated the Gambia by 8 - 0 and then
humiliated Mauritania by 14 - 0!!!! This was during the Zone II tournament
held in Dakar during the early seventies, I can't remember the exact year.
Some joked that Oul Dada sent a diplomatic protest to Saikou Touray, noting
that such utter public humiliation in the world's most popular sport was not
conducive to fostering brotherly and friendly relations between African
countries! We all enjoyed the joke, if only to forget our own annihilation
by the same side!
Senegal almost relegated Nigeria yesterday. Some members of the
Eagles team had expressed fear for their lives (after fans' unruly behaviour
when their team managed only a draw earlier) should they be knocked out. I
won't be surprised if footballers begin to dodge their squads if the trend
continues.
Regards.
Kabir.
Omar Drammeh wrote:
Let this general give us a break! He is yet to realize that part of
the beauty of the game is that there must be a victor and a vanquished. And
that the vanquished have to accept defeat honourably. The players from San
Marino, Luxumbourg or The Pharaoh Islands should thank God they are`nt from
the Ivory Coast.
So please Mr General chill, and give the brothers the respect they
deserve.
Regards,
Omar.
-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: Madiba Saidy <[log in to unmask]>
Til: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Dato: 4. februar 2000 20:54
Emne: Win, Otherwise, You Will Serve In The Military?
>Heh! Heh! Heh!... Oh Geez!
>
> Friday, 4 February, 2000, 14:58 GMT
> Ivorian players threatened with military service
>
>The "Elephants" were eliminated after three matches
>
>
>Ivory Coast's military leader has denounced the national soccer
team
>for playing badly and threatened them with military service if they
>play badly again.
>
>The Ivorian national team were held for three days in a military
camp
>after being eliminated in the first round of the African Cup of
Nations,
>before being taken to Abidjan on Thursday night for a dressing down
>from General Robert Guei.
>
>"I asked that you be taken there so you could reflect a while. You
>behaved unworthily. You should have avoided us such shame," General
>Guei was quoted as saying by the Fraternite Matin newspaper.
>
>The players, many on lucrative contracts with European clubs, were
>shown on state-controlled Ivorian television being forced to
conduct
>military marches and receive lectures on discipline during their
>detention.
>
>"Next time you will stay there for military service. You will be
sent
>to the barracks until a sense of civic pride gets into your heads,"
>the general said..
>
>General Guei, who came to power in a coup on Christmas Eve, said
the
>country's sacrifice in giving the Elephants, as the team is called,
>thousands of dollars had been wasted.
>
>
> Expatriate players
>
>The BBC correspondent in Abidjan says the bizarre case of an
incarcerated
>national football team reveals how seriously the sport is sometimes
taken
>in Africa.
>
>The Ivory Coast squad is made up mainly of players based in Europe
who
>return home to represent their country during international
fixtures.
>
>These expatriate Ivorians, like many other African football stars
who
>have sought to earn a good living abroad, are treated at home with
a
>mixture of hero-worship and jealousy.
>
>Our correspondent says some of the players looked tired and angry
when
>they were released from the military camp.
>
>They are now expected to return to their various European clubs in
the
>next few days but after their experience, many of them may now
think
>twice before returning home to play for their country.
>
>A player for the French club, Marseille, said he could not wait to
>return to France.
>
>
> Damage to African football
>
>Football clubs in Europe have expressed concern over the fate of
>their players and the President of the International Football
>Federation (Fifa), Sepp Blatter, contacted Ivory Coast's military
>authorities to try to find out about the players.
>
>"Detaining a team because it failed to qualify for the next round
>of a football competition is a blatant violation of the autonomy
>of the football association as well as the fair play principle," Mr
>Blatter said in a statement.
>
>Ivory Coast were eliminated from the tournament after three first
>round matches.
>
>They beat Ghana by a respectable 2-0, but only managed a draw
against
>the much smaller state of Togo and were then thrashed 3-0 by
Cameroon,
>one of the best teams on the continent.
>
>
> -- THE BBC ONLINE NEWS --
>
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