The Mugging of Ghana

Are the people of Uruguay celebrating? The reason for such a seemingly obvious question is because I’d rather my team lost than won by cheating.


We thought it was the foreigners who’d get robbed in Africa, strangely it seems to be the other way around! Anyone who watched the game between Ghana and Uruguay will agree that Uruguay were unquestionably outplayed by Ghana… and yet they still won through to the semi-finals.

How did this happen? They simply cheated.

After Friday’s game I hope parents will curb their children’s viewing of the rest of this World Cup because the lessons they should be learning from sport – teamwork and fair play – are dismally absent from the professional game.

There has been so much of it too. Kaka was red carded in the match against Ivory Coast because of it; England was denied a goal because the German keeper, who must have seen he was scored against, continued play. And who is to say the referees aren’t in on it as well? Does Fifa investigate stuff like this?


In rugby if there is a blatant infringement preventing the opposing team from scoring a penalty try is awarded – why do we not have such laws in the game of soccer?


Something that aroused suspicion in the England/Germany game was the lack of questioning by the television commentators. One can only assume that Fifa, who are considering banning replays of bad calls, have instructed commentators along those lines. Our newspapers, lauded by the ANC for their positive reporting about the Cup, have also been dictated to by Fifa.


This is what happens when an organisation – be it a political party or sporting body – gains too much power. It is trite to go on about how power corrupts and blah blah, but it is a universal truth. Fifa has always been blasé about their status as a money-making, totalitarian regime, but the lack of outrage by the viewing, paying public shows a terrible apathy.


I look forward to the Tri-nations and 2011 Rugby World Cup. At least in rugby the team that plays a better game is the team who takes home glory – skill wins the day, not luck.


Ghana can go home with their dignity and integrity intact. Cheaters might win, but winners never cheat. In our eyes they are winners.