Keep it safe

Dr Fahim Chand | Monday December 12, 2022 06:00

To the right, the vivid moon illuminated the night painted ocean. The large waves provided a scintillating cacophony as they crashed into the waiting beach sand.

The rhythmic sound mimicked my own heartbeat. While the deserted beach itself showed no sign of life, humanities buzz was all around.

Laughter and excited banter filled the spaces as people moved forward in the designated walkways.

As one looked around, the colours that dominated were either red and yellow or black and white. Clutched in the hands of some, were long plastic trumpet like instruments which when blown into, provided a distinct shrill sound. Curiously still, the sounds echoing into the night air filled the ears with the languages of exotic faraway lands. Looking ahead, rising above the lush landscape stood one of the most distinctive sports facilities I had seen. Dominating the structure was a 350-metre wide arch holding up the roof.

This distinctive arch was built to represent the coming together of the rainbow nation of South Africa. The date was July 7, 2010 and this was obviously Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa.

The semi-final of the World Cup of football would be contested between European giants, Germany and Spain. There would be no mystery as to who Shabana, Ayaan and Azeem would be supporting in this titanic contest. Painted on each of their cheeks was the distinctive red and yellow Spanish flag. As the heterogeneous crowd, composed of a full complement of the diversity of South Africa’s rainbow nation, mixed and mingled with global visitors from far and wide, the atmosphere was jarring.

It is on special occasions when our planet expels adrenaline infused air that blankets one and all, where unforgettable magic is created. Sport has the ability to unite. None more than the greatest sport spectacle on earth, the FIFA World Cup of football.

The entire world watched as we entered the spectacular stadium. A quick glance around revealed more black and white clad supporters than the yellow and red of the Spanish. The contest was a swashbuckling illustration of how football was meant to be played. Exceptional skill and astonishing moments aplenty and yet the mighty giants both stood firm. Despite the fact that one of my favourite players Mesut Ozil, played for Germany, myself and the rest of the Chand family exuberantly supported the Spanish team. And while thoughts of extra-time and penalty shootouts entered our hyped brains, history was to dictate another conclusion.

Time seemingly stood still as the ball soared through the air. The long curly hair danced with the night time breeze as the ball was firmly headed with a singular destination stamped. It accelerated across the chalked white line and bulged the twine at the back of the net. The hushed silence transformed into a deafening cacophony of sound, all surrounded by waving Spanish flags. The conquering hero, Spain’s number five, Carlos “The Caveman” Puyol. My sons, Ayaan and Azeem sprung up into the balmy Natal night, their Spanish flag painted faces etched with indescribable glee. It was a moment tattooed in the memories of all and chiseled into football history. ‘The Caveman’ had authoured a magical moment for all of Spain and their worldwide supporters and unknown to us at the time, along with co-author Andres Iniesta, would ensure that the Spanish 2010 World Cup champions would never ever be forgotten.

The 2022 Qatar World Cup, with its own iconic, heart stopping moments, exemplifies sports rallying power. Though, this tournament has had its share of controversy. Allegations of abuse against migrant workers resulting in thousands of deaths, the controversial selection of Qatar as World Cup hosts, the lack of alcohol at stadiums, non-recognition of the LGBTQ community and human rights violations in Iran have all dominated headlines. One wonders if such a cozy mix of sport and politics is acceptable?

A quick glance back into sporting history reveals that sports and politics are inextricably linked. One of the fiercest rivalries in not only football, but in sport is Scotland’s Old Firm Rangers vs Celtic. This rivalry was built not on sporting affinity but rather on theological grounds. The rivalry could be renamed Catholics (Celtic) vs Protestants (Rangers). As far as Qatar being selected as hosts, it is not news now that FIFA is one of the most corrupt, evil organisations on the planet. But we ignore that and keep watching for they are custodians of The Beautiful Game.

A game we cannot do without. Football is life. While Qatar may say what they say about the LGBTQ community, the scientific fact remains that sexual orientation is not a choice but rather hardwired into the brain, which means that Qatar would be oppressing their own fair share of LGBTQ citizens. If FIFA promotes football as a unifying force and allocates the tournament to various regions of the world, then shouldn’t we obey their rules and learn from their culture rather than criticise? Isn’t that the definition of inclusion? I love sport and to be honest have very little interest in politics. I think they should be mutually inclusive. To be clear, I think we should unite and stand steadfast against oppression and discrimination always. But keep sport safe from politics. Just play the game.