GETTY IMAGES

Football for Liberation and Peace in Africa: South Africa, and

7256(//675g0 6(1,25$'9,62572$&&25'

Introduction independent Africa, were either prominent fueled Africa’s broader quest for political The history of sports - in particular football players themselves or promoted liberation”.2 football1 - in Africa is intimately linked to the game in their quest for national unity Although not an active athlete, the struggles for racial justice, national and freedom. Largely overlooked by Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, liberation and peace. Several of the historians, “[f]ootball constructed a fragile identified football as an efficient vehicle leaders of the anti-colonial campaigns, sense of nationhood in political entities for unity in the former British colony as well as many founding fathers of arbitrarily created by colonial powers and and took a close personal interest in

6 | Playing for Peace the national team, the ‘Black Stars’.3 In Whites, Indians and Africans. In the or other services. Against this background, neighboring Nigeria, Benjamin Nnamdi beginning, football mainly took hold in and and recognising the mobilising force of Azikiwe, the father of modern nationalism around the port city of Durban, but soon the sport, it is not surprising that football and chief architect of the country’s spread to Cape Town, Johannesburg and drew the attention of the first generation independence, was an accomplished across the country. As with all other social of South Africa’s resistance and liberation football player and sportsman.4 Popularly activities, it was strictly segregated and leaders. known as ‘Zik’, during the independence organised along racial lines. John Langalilabele Dube, who in 1900 struggle he founded Zic’s Athletic Club The first formal soccer organisation, had founded the Ohlange Institute, in (ZAC), which not only became a hub of the all-White Pietermaritzburg County 1903 launched Ilanga Lase Natal - the first sporting and social activity, but also an Football Club, was set up in 1879. newspaper in isiZulu - and in 1912 became important anti-colonial platform.5 And Seven years later, there were four the founding President of the then South in Algeria, the leading liberation fighter, Indian soccer clubs in Durban, and in African Native National Congress, later founder of the National Liberation Front 1903 a South African Indian Football re-named the African National Congress (Front de Libération National - FLN) and Association was founded. As the African (ANC). Dube played an important role in future President, Ahmed Ben Bella, had workforce expanded, so also did football the early history of football in Natal and in in 1939–40 been a mid-field player for in the African locations, as well as among South Africa at large. Ohlange Wild Zebras the French professional football club Africans at their leading (mostly mission) FC was formed in 1901, and from its first .6 As will be schools. Among the first African clubs year of publication Ilanga regularly covered seen in this magazine, the tradition of were Wild Zebras at the Ohlange Institute, the local African soccer competitions. combining football with politics is today Shooting Stars at Adams College and Less known, but of considerable historical continued by contemporary African Natal Cannons at the Inanda seminary. By significance, is that Dube’s neighbor at leaders such as Presidents Paul Kagame 1910, there were at least seven African the Phoenix settlement outside Durban, of Rwanda and Pierre Nkurunziza of soccer clubs in and around Durban. In Mohandas ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi, similarly Burundi.7 1916, they formed the Durban and District promoted football in his non-violent Most African nations are as Native Football Association (DDNFA), the campaign against racial discrimination. independent entities only 50 years old, first major African football organisation in Gandhi came to South Africa in 1893, or younger.8 After a long and hard-fought the country.9 setting up the Natal Indian Congress (NIC) struggle, South Africa achieved democracy Not only was football racially the following year. While in South Africa, only 16 years ago. With six African nations segregated, but the conditions under he developed his guiding philosophy of among the 32 participating in the 2010 which the game developed were satyagraha. A firm believer in non-violent FIFA World Cup - the first ever on African fundamentally unequal, unjust and resistance against racial injustice, he was soil - this article looks at how historically discriminatory. All over the country, white- actively involved in local Indian affairs. the game of has been ruled town councils refused to provide Little known is the fact that this included a powerful force for social and political recreational facilities for non-whites, football. In or around 1913 - not long mobilisation against injustice, racism and with the result that African, Indian and before his return to India - he organised foreign domination, a dimension which is Coloured clubs had to play their matches three football teams in Natal. To the very much alive in the psyche of the young in open, unattended fields, without stands author’s knowledge, Gandhi himself did nations. Examples will be taken from the history of the host nation, South Africa, as well as from Algeria, two countries that are competing in the World Cup. A note on the role for peace played by the Ivory Coast’s ‘Elephants’ with regard to the civil war in that country will conclude the text. Captained by , African Footballer of the Year in 2009, Ivory Coast is also a participant in the World Cup.

South Africa: From Gandhi via Robben Island to Bafana Bafana Introduced to South Africa by working- class British soldiers sent to fight in the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War, not only did football become a popular military pastime, but The Passive Resisters: Mahatma Gandhi set up football teams as part of the struggle soon also an organised activity among against racial discrimination in South Africa (circa 1913).

Playing for Peace | 7 LUTHULI FAMILY COLLECTION, LUTHULI MUSEUM

Chief Albert Luthuli with the ‘Shooting from 1952 until his death in 1967. Luthuli Vice-President of the Durban and District Stars’ of Adams College in Durban, South was closely involved with the sport. As Native Football Association, which - as Africa, 1929. a national political leader, administrator mentioned - was the first of its kind in and organiser, he was in particular drawn South Africa. Describing himself as a to football as it brought African mission- “compulsive football fan”13, three years not produce anything in writing about educated elite together with African later he was instrumental in uniting the these teams, nor about the game of migrant and non-migrant workers. In his Natal and Transvaal associations under the soccer. For posterity, however, he had a autobiography Let My People Go - first South Africa African Football Association photo taken of him and other NIC leaders published in 1962 - he noted that “what (SAAFA), of which he also became Vice- with two of the Indian teams, appropriately has attracted me as much as the game President. And in 1952, when the ANC dubbed the ‘Passive Resisters’.10 [itself] has been the opportunity to meet launched the Defiance Campaign against From the beginning, football in South all sorts of people, from the loftiest to the the apartheid state and Luthuli was Africa became an integral part of the quest most disreputable”. Strongly opposed to elected President-General of the liberation for racial justice and equality, playing an Pretoria’s segregation policies, he added movement, he combined political work increasingly important role on the political that “I confess that when I watch matches with that of President of the Natal Inter- agenda. In the 1920s, for example, under between White South Africans and visiting Race Soccer Board, set up to oversee and its President, Clements Kadalie, the teams, I invariably want the foreigners to bridge the racial division between African, Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union win. So do other Africans”.11 Indian and Coloured soccer associations. (ICU) recognised soccer’s contribution to In addition to his involvement in At a historic conference in Durban the formation of a politically conscious national politics, as well as in traditional in 1951, the South African Soccer popular culture. Together with boxing, the governance, missionary affairs and Federation (SASF) had in the meantime ICU actively promoted football among its agriculture at Groutville north of Durban, been launched. Barring nobody from followers. Luthuli was a prominent football membership on the grounds of race, More important in the longer-term administrator.12 After serving for many colour or creed, it brought together more perspective was the role of Chief Albert years as Secretary of Adams College’s than 46,000 members of the African, Luthuli, President-General of the ANC Shooting Stars, in 1929 he became Coloured and Indian associations under

8 | Playing for Peace REUTERS / THE BIGGER PICTURE

one umbrella body. The strong link founded the Co-ordinating Committee for FIFA President Sepp Blatter (centre) and between non-racial liberation politics International Recognition of Sport (CCIRS), South African Minister Tokyo Sexwale and football was further underlined with “the single, simple principle [t]hat (right) with former members of the when in 1953 the recently formed all South Africans should be allowed to Makana Football Association on Robben Congress Alliance14 organised a highly represent their country - if they are good Island, South Africa, December 2009. publicised soccer match between enough”.16 In 1958, Brutus also set up ‘Veterans’ and ‘Youth’ on a farm outside the South African Sports Association Johannesburg. Together with the future (SASA), which with support by the ANC by denying them access to proper playing ANC President Oliver Tambo, stalwarts lobbied international sports federations to grounds. The Soweto giants Orlando such as the Communist Party leaders withdraw recognition of whites-only South Pirates and Moroka Swallows were forced Dr. Yusuf Dadoo and Moses Kotane took African affiliates. Football represented to use the open field in Kliptown, where in part in the non-racial match.15 around 50,000 of its 70,000 members. 1955 the ANC and its allies had convened This was the context in which In the early 1950s, occasional, the historic Congress of the People.18 different non-racial South African sport non-league matches between white and Eventually, however, the African clubs associations in the mid-1950s sought black, i.e. African, Indian or Coloured, were evicted also from Kliptown, which international affiliation. Claiming national football teams did take place in in 1966 led to the demise of the popular representativity as it had more than 80 Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. In South African Soccer League. % of South Africa’s registered football 1956, however, the apartheid regime ruled After the 1960 banning of the ANC players, in 1954 SASF applied for that “[W]hites and Blacks should organise and the PAC (Pan-Africanist Congress), international recognition within FIFA. their sporting activities separately; there and the sentencing to life imprisonment Opposed by the apartheid government should be no inter-racial competitions on Robben Island of Nelson Mandela and by the all-White South African […]; mixing of races in teams should be and the ANC leadership four years later, Football Association (SAFA), it marked avoided; and sportsmen from other lands the silence of the grave descended the beginning of a protracted and bitter should respect the country’s customs”.17 upon South Africa. In 1961, however, struggle. This was also the context At the same time and with particular the Fédération Internationale de Football in which the poet, journalist and anti- wrath, Pretoria clamped down on the Association (FIFA) decided to suspend apartheid activist Dennis Brutus in 1955 increasingly popular African football teams South Africa for not adhering to the

Playing for Peace | 9 REUTERS / THE BIGGER PICTURE

principle according to which “a national allowed to play football on weekends on French football legend Zinedine Zidane [member] association must be open to condition that their weekly quota of hard (centre) and Algerian President Abdelaziz all who practice football in that country, labour had been fulfilled. The prisoners Bouteflika (centre right) with former whether amateur, ‘non-amateur’ or set up eight teams and organised a members of the FLN Team in , professional, and without any racial, league system. Following FIFA rules and Algeria, December 2006. religious or political discrimination”.19 In running for over twenty years, the league 1976, finally, South Africa was expelled was highly successful. Operating within from FIFA. While these measures - among the belly of the beast and organising the very first international indictments of thousands of anti-apartheid prisoners, the Mandela, two years later FIFA accepted the apartheid system - were welcomed by Makana Football Association on Robben South Africa back into world football. the anti-apartheid movement, exclusion Island made no little contribution to the The country returned with a bang. At from international contacts, in combination erosion and, eventually, the downfall of a packed stadium in Durban, in July with the state’s onslaught on Black soccer, apartheid. 1992 South Africa played its first official had, nevertheless, negative consequences Among those active in the Makana international match in three decades, for the development of the sport in the Football Association was Jacob Zuma, beating Cameroon 1–0.21 The first country. who in 1963 as a young man was democratic elections were held in 1994, In the meantime, the political imprisoned on Robben Island for a period putting a formal end to centuries of racial prisoners on Robben Island were using of ten years. As captain of Rangers oppression and decades of apartheid. football as a means to preserve their FC on the island, Zuma - since 2009 In 1995, the ‘new South Africa’ erupted humanity. The story of the Robben Island the President of South Africa - had in unity into wild celebrations when the Makana Football Association appears the reputation of being both an active ‘Springboks’ won the Rugby World Cup elsewhere in this magazine.20 Suffice it administrator and an uncompromising, and - as portrayed in the movie Invictus here to note that after a long, protracted no-nonsense defender. - President Mandela handed over the struggle the political prisoners on the After the 1990 unbanning of the ANC, coveted trophy. Later that year, Orlando island - barring those in isolation, i.e. the PAC, the South African Communist Pirates won the Africa Champions Cup, Mandela and his closest Rivonia Trial Party and other political organisations, the first and so far the only South African colleagues - in 1969 reluctantly were followed by the release of Nelson football club to achieve this honour.22 And

10 | Playing for Peace in 1996, on home soil, Bafana Bafana increasing nationalist mobilisation in favour headquarters in Tunis, and represent triumphed in the Africa Cup of Nations.23 of majority-rule and self-determination. it in international matches. It was both Beginning in November 1954, a protracted, a dangerous and sensitive proposal, FLN of Algeria: A Team Without a notoriously vicious war for national which had to be carried out in outmost Country liberation followed, resulting in more than secrecy. The National Liberation Front The tale of the Makana Football one million lives lost. On the nationalist was considered a terrorist organisation Association has been described as “the side, the liberation struggle was led by by the French government, and any direct most important soccer story ever told”.24 the National Liberation Front (FLN), which contacts with the movement would lead Across the continent, in North Africa, assumed power in the independent state to imprisonment. In addition, in the the extraordinary formation, purpose of Algeria in July 1962. players were well paid and enjoyed life as and success of the Algerian FLN Team Football was a popular sport in celebrated stars. It was an exceptionally could similarly have been taken from a Algeria29, and during the struggle the heavy demand that was put on the young political novel. It has been described as FLN successfully used the game both footballers’ shoulders, who one by one “something dreamed up by [John] Le at home to boycott events organised by over the following months were contacted Carré”.25 the French30 and abroad as a powerful by Maouche. Until national independence was propaganda weapon. In the latter arsenal, Most of the Algerian players in France achieved in 1962, Algeria was linked to no weapon was as potent and effective as were sympathetic to the cause of the France in a unique relationship, with its the FLN Team.31 FLN.33 Many of them - such as Maouche three northern departments (Algiers, In the 1950s, Algeria had become the himself - had lost relatives to the violence Constantine and ) formally a part of African continent’s principal exporter of in Algeria. He later stated, “Okay, I would France itself.26 While this status facilitated football talents. By 1958, more than 50 have to give up my club. And yes, I was migration across the Mediterranean, Algerian players had contracts with French thinking of the World Cup, but what did for the indigenous population it did not first and second division professional that count for in comparison with my entail any privileges. On the contrary, clubs. Some of them - such as Mohammed country’s independence? The aim was to French settlers maintained a total make a statement, because at grip on political and economic Maouche himself - had lost relatives to the time the French propaganda power, relegating the Muslim had the FLN as a band of the violence in Algeria. He later stated, Arab majority to a subservient terrorists”.34 status. The gulf between the two “Okay, I would have to give up my club. Eventually, the plan was communities was huge, and the carried out in April 1958, two And yes, I was thinking of the World Cup, Arabs were, in general, “seen months before the World Cup in as an inferior race, treated with but what did that count for in comparison Sweden. Secretly leaving France disdain, indifference or outright after playing for their respective with my country’s independence? The abuse”.27 This said, contrary teams in the regular weekend to the situation in apartheid aim was to make a statement, because at matches, a total of ten players South Africa, there was no legal safely made it to Tunisia. Others the time the French propaganda had the system of institutionalised racial were not so lucky. Maouche and discrimination. On the football FLN as a band of terrorists” Chabri of Monaco were arrested pitch, for example, French by the French police, badly and Arab teams often met28, and a Maouche at Stade de Reims, Mustapha beaten and sent to prison. considerable number of Algerian players Zitouni at Monaco and Rachid Mekhloufi In France, news of the flight of the were signed up by professional clubs in at Saint-Étienne - were not only Algerian footballers came as a great shock. France. players in their respective teams, but had Among those who had left was Zitouni, For the French, Algeria was the as French citizens also been shortlisted to who was due to represent Les Bleus crown jewel of its Maghreb empire, represent France in the FIFA 1958 World in a friendly match against the north-western part of Africa which Cup in Sweden.32 a few days later. Derogatorily called also included Morocco and Tunisia. The Through Maouche, the FLN in late fellaghas, or terrorists, all the defectors latter two, however, were governed 1957 set in motion a dramatic plan to had their French club contracts cancelled. as ‘protectorates’ under international recruit Algerian professional , however, the FLN announced treaties, which in the early 1950s paved players based in France for the cause that the players had “answered the call to the way for national independence, a of national liberation. According to the arms”35 and that they henceforth would status both of them gained in 1956. plan, a sufficient number of players to represent the Algerian government-in- In the case of Algeria, France resisted constitute a football team should at a exile. Preparations were immediately change and was determined to keep the given moment leave the country, gather made for an FLN Team, the forerunners of territory at all costs. This, in turn, led to at the liberation movement’s exile today’s ‘Desert Foxes’, who in addition to

Playing for Peace | 11 GETTY IMAGES

the ten ex-professionals would include an possible to pursue a footballing career Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba with soldiers eleventh player and some substitutes from also under the banner of the FLN. In 1960, from the rebel New Forces after a match the liberation movement’s own ranks. To two years after the first group had left, against Madagascar in Bouaké, Ivory compensate for their loss of income, the the largest single defection of Algerian Coast, June 2007. FLN granted them stipends which were footballers took place, bringing the number considerably lower than their salaries of ex-professionals in the squad to 32. as professionals, but higher than those Over the following two years, the received by the leaders of the movement. Algerian FLN Team - a national team FLN Team requested their government On and off the pitch, the story of the without a country - embarked on highly for permission to go back to their French FLN Team was a resounding success. In successful tours to the Middle East, professional clubs. Mekhloufi, the national their first match, they beat Union Sportive Eastern Europe and the Far East. In hero, was one of them. Perhaps due to the Tunisienne 8–0 and then proceeded to Yugoslavia, they beat the Olympic side fact that President Ben Bella himself had defeat the Tunisian national squad twice, 6–1, and in Hungary the national team by played football for Olympique de Marseille, scoring a total of 15 goals and conceding 5–2. At the time of Algeria’s independence the request was granted. Although some just one. Before long, they had registered in July 1962, the team of defectors of the players were not warmly welcomed victories over the national teams of representing the liberation movement in back39, most were. Mekhloufi re-joined Morocco and Libya too, establishing exile had played 91 matches, out of which Saint-Étienne, who won the French themselves as arguably the best team in they had won 65, drawn 13 and lost 13.37 championship in 1964. By then captain of North Africa.36 As many wanted to watch As noted by Hawkey, “that’s some record the team, in 1968 he also triumphed in the players such as Mekhloufi and Zitouni, the for a team who never played a match French Cup final. And in 1982, he finally team’s success through ticket sales was at home”.38 made it to the World Cup, although not as also financially profitable for the FLN. More Upon their return to Algeria, and a player, but as the coach of the Algerian importantly, it revealed for the Algerian as relations with France were being ‘Desert Foxes’. After sacrificing his place in players still based in France that it was normalised, some of the members of the the French team for the 1958 tournament

12 | Playing for Peace GETTY IMAGES

in Sweden, two and a half decades later Once hailed as a model of political A spectator displaying a peace banner Mekhloufi successfully steered his native stability and economic development in with the portrait of Didier Drogba Algeria to the FIFA 1982 World Cup in , the Ivory Coast experienced at a match between Ivory Coast and Spain. It was the first time ever Algeria had increasing instability following the death Madagascar, Bouaké, Ivory Coast, managed to do so.40 in 1993 of President Félix Houphouet- June 2007. Boigny42 and a downturn of its primary Ivory Coast: With the ‘Elephants’ export product, cocoa. In 1999, the for Peace protracted crisis culminated in a military peacekeepers was deployed to separate In apartheid South Africa and colonial coup, which in turn plunged the country the warring parties and prepare conditions Algeria, the popularity of football was used deeper into a vortex of violence. While for peace. This objective, however, was by the leaders of the liberation movements politicians, the military and the media not initially achieved, and only after a to further the cause of freedom. In post- resorted to ethnic rhetoric in which the prolonged, concerted mediation effort independent Africa, there are examples issues of citizenship and ‘a true Ivorian by the Economic Community of West of popular soccer players who have used identity’ played a paramount part, in African States (ECOWAS), the African their influence to impact positively on 2002 Ivory Coast was split between a Union (AU) and the UN, was the so called events and on the leadership in their Muslim-dominated area in the North - Ouagadougou Peace Accord signed by countries. During the civil war in the 1990s, with a considerable portion of people Soro and Gbagbo in March 2007. In terms for example, Liberia’s George Weah - a who over the years had immigrated from of the agreement, Soro was appointed national hero, who in 1995 was voted FIFA neighboring countries - held by insurgents Prime Minister and President Gbagbo World Footballer of the Year - repeatedly from the New Forces under Guillaume could declare that the war was over. Ivory appealed to the warring factions to lay Soro, and the primarily Christian southern Coast, however, is far from being at peace. down their arms.41 Similarly, in the Ivory parts, controlled by the government of The key issues of citizenship and identity Coast, Didier Drogba and other hugely Laurent Gbagbo. still remain to be solved, and presidential celebrated stars in the national team, In the ensuing civil war, thousands elections have been postponed time and known as the ‘Elephants’, have during the of lives were lost and an estimated time again. conflict in that country intervened in favour 750,000 people displaced. In 2004, a During the prolonged conflict, the of peace and reconciliation. first contingent of United Nations (UN) immensely popular and star-studded

Playing for Peace | 13 national football team has been one of since the beginning of the civil war - long”.54 And when the Ivory Coast team the main voices in favour of peace in Ivory Drogba showed the spectators his recently in December 2009 collectively won the Coast. With players originally coming received award as African Footballer of 2009 SCORE4africa Peace Award, Kalou from both the rebel-held North and the the Year, and said, “[This] date will be a said, “Our country went through a difficult government-controlled South, the multi- memorable day. It will be a victory for time during the troubles. Our football team ethnic, closely-knit team43 has consistently Ivory Coast football, a victory for the Ivory stayed together. Football helped in the pleaded for reason and peace. Famously, Coast people and, quite simply, there will peace process. As we go to the World Cup and only moments after leading Ivory be peace”.50 Later he explained that “I [in South Africa], we hope that the country Coast to the FIFA 2006 World Cup in have won many trophies in my time, but can unite behind the team and that we can Germany44, the captain, Didier Drogba, for nothing will ever top helping win the battle help further with reconciliation”. 55 example, summoned a cameraman from for peace in my country”.51 the Ivorian television and stated that he Drogba is not only a mega-star in Endnotes had a message to deliver. Live on national his native Ivory Coast and across Africa, 1 In the text, the terms ‘football’ and ‘soccer’ are used interchangeably. TV and surrounded by his team-mates, but a highly celebrated football player in 2 Peter Alegi: ‘African Soccerscapes: How Drogba fell to his knees in the dressing England, where he plays for Chelsea, and a Continent Changed the World’s Game’, room and made an emotional appeal for a in the world at large. He has twice been Hurst & Company, , 2010, p. 36. 52 cessation of the hostilities in the country. voted African Footballer of the Year , runs 3 Ian Hawkey: ‘Feet of the Chameleon: “We have proved that all Ivorians can live a private, charitable health and education The Story of African Football’, Wild together”, he said, “and we can unite with foundation for under-privileged children Dog Press, Lyndhurst, 2009, pp. 74–75. In 1957, Ghana was the first country in the same objectives. Please, put down Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independ- 45 your weapons!” Later interviewed about At a time when war, ence, with Nkrumah as President. the spectacular appeal, Drogba explained, 4 Azikiwe, who became Nigeria’s first “It was just something I did instinctively. violence and ethnic President in 1963, was in his youth All the players hated what was happening and religious tensions prominent in athletics, boxing, football, swimming, tennis and other sports. to our country, and reaching the World continue to obscure our 5 Hawkey op. cit., pp. 72–74. Cup was the perfect emotional wave on common humanity, the 6 Ibid., p. 71. Ben Bella played for which to ride”.46 World Cup has the real Olympique de Marseille as a recruit to the Less known is that Drogba behind French army during the Second World the scenes has taken an active part in potential to break down War. He was based in Marseille. mediation efforts between the Ivorian barriers and challenge 7 See the article by Tor Sellström else- warring parties. In May 2007 - shortly after where in this magazine. Both Kagame stereotypes. [It] may do and Nkurunziza are actively involved with the signing of the Ouagadougou Peace more to bring our planet the game of football. While leading the Accord - the West Africa Network for Rwanda Patriotic Front’s (RPF) military Peacebuilding (WANEP)47 reported that it together than any treaty campaign, Kagame was instrumental had “suggested the use of Ivorian soccer or convention could ever in the formation of its APR FC (Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Football Club). stars and heroes to broker the peace. That hope for Formally established in 1993, APR FC suggestion seems to have found fertile soon emerged as the leading football ground. Didier Drogba […] [was over a Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary- club in the country, for the first time period of] three to four months involved General, Chairman of the Africa winning the Rwandan Progress Panel two years later. President Kagame is also in lots of quiet, but successful soccer behind the re-development of the East diplomacy between the two sides. [He] and Central African Cup competition, has admitted that he personally intervened in Ivory Coast53 and serves the United which is financially supported by his to convince President Gbagbo and (now Nations Development Programme (UNDP) government. Formerly called CECAFA, it is today known as the Kagame Inter-Club Prime Minister) Soro to agree on the as a UN Messenger of Peace. As captain Cup. APR FC won the competion in 2007. 48 Ouagadougou Accord”. and spokesperson of the Ivory Coast With a university degree in physical As a unifying gesture between the national team, it is only natural that he is education and sports, Nkurunziza of North and the South, Drogba further at the centre of attention. In the case of Burundi - like Kagame a former leader of the armed struggle - is an active foot- convinced President Gbagbo that the the ‘Elephants’, however, the urge for ball player and coach. Often called ‘the ‘Elephants’ next match - a qualifying peace is - as the game of football itself - a footballing president’, the born-again game for the Africa Cup of Nations against shared effort. In an interview with the BBC Christian is the driving force behind Haleluya FC, which plays in Burundi’s first Madagascar - should be played in Bouaké, in January 2008, for example, Drogba’s division. the city of birth of Kolo and Yaya Touré49, much younger team-mate Salomon 8 In 2010, seventeen African nations will but in this context more importantly the Kalou stated that “with war nothing can celebrate 50 years of independence. stronghold of Soro’s New Forces. Before work. Ivory Coast is a good country that 9 This section is mainly based on Peter the match - the first staged in Bouaké does not deserve to be in a war for so Alegi: ‘Laduma! Soccer, Politica and

14 | Playing for Peace Society in South Africa’, University of Tunisia beat France 3–2. The legendary fully agreed to reach a result which saw KwaZulu-Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg, Moroccan Larbi Ben Barek, the ‘Black them through to the next round at the 2004, and on Joe Latakgomo: ‘Mzansi Pearl’ of Olympique de Marseille, played expense of the North Africans. Algeria Magic: Struggle, Betrayal and Glory - The a prominent part in the match. lodged a complaint with FIFA, but to no Story of South African Soccer’, Tafelberg, 29 Among the many Algerian personali- avail. Nevertheless, as a consequence Cape Town, 2010. ties who were attracted by the game of of the match-fixing, FIFA changed the 10 The author found the photo in the football was the writer and philosopher rules for future World Cups. Matches that Bessie Head Library, Pietermaritzburg. Albert Camus, in his youth a goal keeper decided final group positions would from It also appears in Amy Pastan: ‘Gandhi: at Algiers university. Camus later wrote, then on take place simultaneously. (West A Photographic Story of a Life’, DK “All that I know most surely about Germany eventually reached the final of Publishing, London, 2006, p. 43. morality and obligations, I owe to foot- the 1982 World Cup, losing 1–3 to Italy). ball” (Quoted in Peter Woodward: ‘Extra 11 Albert Luthuli: ‘Let My People Go’, 41 Weah also appealed to the United Time’ in Gary Armstrong and Richard Fontana Books, London and , Nations to send a peace-keeping force to 1984, p. 35. Giulianotti (eds): ‘Football in Africa: Conflict, Conciliation and Community’, Liberia. 12 Peter Alegi: ‘Sport, Race and Liberation Palgrave MacMillan, 2004, p. 275). 42 At independence in 1960, Houphouet- Before Apartheid: A Preliminary Study of Boigny became the first President of Albert Luthuli, 1920s–1952’, South African 30 FLN put pressure on the Muslim popula- Ivory Coast. He held that position until his History Online (SAHO), www.sahistory. tion to boycott the local Algerian soccer death in 1993. org.za league. One effect was that some of the best Algerian players moved to clubs in 43 The majority of the players in the Ivory 13 Ibid. France, without - as will be evident from Coast national team have known each 14 The Congress Alliance included the ANC, the text - giving up their nationalist other since they were very young. Many the South African Indian Congress (SAIC), allegiance. of them are graduates of the famous the Coloured People’s Congress (CPC), 31 The presentation is mainly based on ASEC Mimosas’ football academy in the (White) Congress of Democrats (CoD) Hawkey op. cit., pp. 100–122. See also . Among them are and the South African Congress of Trade Alegi ‘African Soccerscapes’, pp. 45–50. (who plays for Portsmouth in the English Unions (SACTU). 32 There were four Algerian players origi- Premier League), Emmanuel Eboué 15 Riason Naidoo: ‘The Indian in Drum nally selected for the French squad to the (Arsenal), (Chelsea), Magazine in the 1950s’, Bell-Roberts World Cup in Sweden. During the World Bakari Koné (Olympique de Marseille), Publishing, Cape Town, 2008, p. 88. Cup, the French-Moroccan Just Fontaine Kolo Touré (Manchester City), Yaya Touré 16 Quoted in Alegi ‘Laduma’, p. 112. excelled for France, scoring an unbeaten (Barcelona) and (Sevilla). record 13 goals for the eventual winners 17 Quoted in ibid., pp.113–14. 44 The incident took place in Omdurman, of the bronze medal. 18 Attended by 3,000 delegates from all Sudan, in October 2005, after the final over South Africa, the Congress of the 33 The Monaco player Hacene Chabri had qualifying match against the host People was held in Kliptown outside been identified by French intelligence as country. It was the first time that Ivory an FLN supporter, suspected of smug- Johannesburg on 25–26 June 1955. It Coast had qualified for the World Cup. adopted the Freedom Charter, which gling money and arms to the liberation 45 Quoted in Hawkey, op. cit., p. 274. subsequently became the political movement. programme of the ANC. 34 Quoted in Hawkey op. cit., p. 106. 46 Alex Hayes: ‘Didier Drogba brings peace to the Ivory Coast’ in The Telegraph, 19 Quoted in Alegi ‘Laduma’, p. 117. The 35 Ibid., p. 111. principle had been adopted by the 1960 London, 8 August 2007. 36 The FLN Team did not play against Egypt, FIFA congress in Rome. who had won the first African Cup of 47 Together with the Nairobi Peace Initiative- 20 See the article by John Daniel on the Nations in 1957. Politically, Nasser’s Africa (NPI-A) and WANEP, ACCORD Makana Football Association . Egypt supported the FLN. The most has established the African Alliance for 21 South Africa and Cameroon played three plausible reason for Egypt’s reluctance to Peacebuilding. games. The second was played in Cape play football against them is that FIFA did 48 WANEP: ‘The Ouagadougou Peace Town, where Bafana Bafana lost 1–2. The not recognize the Algerian team and that Accord: Breakthrough for Peace at Last?’, third was in Johannesburg, ending in a Egypt as a founder member of the FIFA- WARN Policy Brief, Accra, Ghana, 31 May 2–2 draw. aligned Confederation of African Football 2007, p. 8. (CAF) did not want to risk its international 22 Orlando Pirates met Ivory Coast’s ASEC status (cf. Hawkey op. cit., p. 114). 49 The Manchester City defender Kolo Touré Mimosas in home and away games. and the Barcelona mid-fielder Yaya Touré 37 Hawkey op. cit., p. 122. The FLN Team 23 South Africa beat Tunisia 2–0 in the final. were born in Bouaké, some 350 km north scored a total of 385 goals, or more than of Abidjan. 24 Chuck Korr and Marvin Close: ‘More than 4 goals per match. Just a Game: Soccer v Apartheid’, Collins, 50 Quoted in ‘Football can score for African 38 Ibid. London, 2008. Quote from the cover of peace’ in The Citizen, Dar es Salaam, the book. 39 Said Amara, who had defected in 1960, 9 January 2010. received a death threat when he returned 25 Hawkey op. cit., p. 107. to Girondins de Bordeaux. 51 Quoted in Hayes op. cit. 26 The three departments had the same 40 In Spain, Algeria caused a sensation 52 In 2006 and 2009. status as the departments in metropolitan by beating West Germany 2–1 in their France. 53 The Didier Drogba Foundation is first match. After losing 0–2 to Austria, presented in this magazine. 27 Martin Meridith: ‘The State of Africa: A they won their last group match against 54 BBC Sport: ‘Kalou makes Ivorian peace History of Fifty Years of Independence’, Chile (3–2), in the process threatening plea’, BBC, London, 24 January 2008. Jonathan Ball Publishers, Johannesburg to eliminate the fancied West Germans and Cape Town, 2005, p. 45. from the tournament. In what has been 55 Quoted from www.score4africa.org. 28 In 1954, a North African XI composed called “the scandal in Gijón”, West Score4africa is a London-based soccer of players from Algeria, Morocco and Germany and Austria, however, shame- magazine, focusing on Africa.

Playing for Peace | 15