Will hooligans scar South Africa in the World Cup?
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John, like most others involved in defending the honor of their football club to the ultimate boundary, is not the scruffy, dropout "doley," most people associate with football hooligans. John is a successful, wealthy and bright property developer, who is quick to remind me that hooliganism is an expensive hobby. Hooliganism, John said, is mostly confined to a pleasurable weekend diversion of the financially sound.
Football unquestionably causes emotions to reach heights that few other sports can match. Respectable, normally easy-going men and women can be reduced to frenzied lunatics by a contentious penalty decision or an over-zealous dive. Given the enormity of emotions reaching a tribal and primal likeness, it is hardly surprising that football is so irrefutably linked to violence. In the final days before that first whistle blows on June 11 to signal the start of the World Cup, nerves are running high and even causing bickers to develop between candidates wishing to host the 2018 World Cup.
Reiterating the seemingly unanimous view that English football fans are the biggest troublemakers, Alexie Sorokin, the bid chief of Russia World Cup 2018, attacked the quality of England's fans recently. Sorokin said that Russia is in a state of information war with England, Russia's biggest rival to win the bid to host the 2018 Cup. Making a direct blast at England's football fans, Sorokin stated that English fans are the "utmost hooligans" and "wherever the English fans travel they create huge trouble for the hosts."
Since being granted the privilege of hosting this year's World Cup, South Africa has worked hard to improve its infrastructure and security. Thabo Mbeki, a former South African president, predicted the 2010 World Cup would be the moment when the nation finally "turned the tide on centuries of poverty and conflict."
In 2002, Japanese police utilized a gun that fired high-velocity nets to ensnare rioters and combat hooliganism for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea. When Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup, it had a police force of about 30,000. Despite the extra security, violent clashes between Polish and German fans occurred after Germany beat Poland.
Faced with the task of eradicating hooliganism from the World Cup and modifying its infrastructure to adapt to the challenges the biggest and most lucrative sporting event requires, South Africa is under immense pressure to ensure that the World Cup 2010 runs smoothly. The British and South African police may have been wise to have thwarted the passports of 3,200 identified English football hooligans to prevent them from traveling. But many, like David John, will unfortunately remain in control of their passports and let their passion for their team prevail over any sense of rationality. If so, they may not remain in control of their head, and South Africa's economic future will be the last thing on their minds. Because of this, South Africa faces a huge task during the next four weeks.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/node_7077604.htm
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