Interference

This week the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, took the executive decision to withdraw the Nigerian national football team from international competition for a period of two years as a punishment for not winning the World Cup.

The news came as former French coach Raymond Domenech appeared before a parliamentary committee “to explain Les Bleus’ South Africa debacle”; he had previously met French President Nicolas Sarkozy to explain events during the tournament.

FIFA’s response was predictable: “FIFA’S position regarding political interference in football is well known. Our statutes do not allow for any political interference.” This has nothing to do with ethics; they simply don’t want anything to get in the way of making money. The less interference, the better.

Government interference, coupled with intense media pressure, has been a constant factor in African football since the sport became universally popular. Nigeria have had nine managers this decade and have no problem sacking a manager even during a qualification campaign, let alone after third-place finishes at continental tournaments, and the president and other politicians weigh in with their opinions at every opportunity. However, this is more to do with the rules of engagement in African politics than anything else.

In Europe media pressure is the order of the day but such political meddling is much less common. For a national president to call a national captain and his manager for anything other than a congratulatory meal after a medal-winning performance is unheard-of; for a manager to appear before a parliamentary committee is the stuff of fiction.

For once FIFA is right. Football is the working person’s escape from the drudgery of the week; three points mean a tiny victory in a life full of defeats. Most of those defeats are inflicted by the government and its many agencies (the taxman, the police, local authorities) so it is grossly unfair of the government to think that they can take away the one last thing that belongs so exclusively to the people.