Africa, Football and FIFA: Politics, Colonialism and Resistance

255 Pages·2005·5.677 MB·English

by  Paul Darby

Sport in the Global Society
General Editor: J.A. Mangan
AFRICA, FOOTBALL AND FIFA
SPORT IN THE GLOBAL SOCIETY
General Editor: J.A. Mangan
The interest in sports studies around the world is growing and will continue to do so. This
unique series combines aspects of the expanding study of sport in the global society,
providing comprehensiveness and comparison under one editorial umbrella. It is
particularly timely, with studies in the political, cultural, anthropological, ethnographic,
social, economic, geographical and aesthetic elements of sport proliferating in institutions
of higher education.
Eric Hobsbawm once called sport one of the most significant practices of the late
nineteenth century. Its significance was even more marked in the late twentieth century and
will continue to grow in importance into the new millennium as the world develops into a
'global village' sharing the English language, technology and sport.
Other Titles in the Series
Soccer in South Asia Superman Supreme
Empire, Nation, Diaspora Fascist Body as Political Icon:
Edited by Paul Dimeo and James Mills Global Fascism
Edited by J.A. Mangan
The Future of Football
Challenges for the Twenty-First Century
Making the Rugby World
Edited by Jon Garland, Dominic Malcolm
Race, Gender, Commerce
and Michael Rowe
Edited by Timothy J.L Chandler and
John Nauright
Football Culture
Local Contests, Global Visions
Rugby's Great Split
Edited by Gerry P.T. Finn and
Class, Culture and the Origins of Rugby
Richard Giulianotti
League Football
France and the 1998 World Cup Tony Collins
The National Impact of a World Sporting
Event Sport in Australasian Society
Edited by Hugh Dauncey and Geoff Hare Past and Present
Edited by J.A. Mangan and John Nauright
The First Black Footballer
Arthur Wharton 1865–1930: Sporting Nationalisms
An Absence of Memory Identity, Ethnicity, Immigration and
Phil Vasili Assimilation
Edited by Mike Cronin and David Mayall
Scoring for Britain
International Football and International
The Race Game
Politics, 1900–1939
Sport and Politics in South Africa
Peter J. Beck
Douglas Booth
Shaping the Superman
The Games Ethic and Imperialism
Fascist Body as Political Icon:
Aryan Fascism Aspects of the Diffusion of an Ideal
Edited by J.A. Mangan J.A. Mangan
AFRICA, FOOTBALL
AND FIFA
Politics, Colonialism and Resistance
PAUL DARBY
Liverpool Hope University College
FRANK CASS
LONDON PORTLAND, OR
First published in 2002 in Great Britain by
FRANK CASS PUBLISHERS
Crown House, 47 Chase Side, Southgate, London N14 5BP
and in the United States of America by
FRANK CASS PUBLISHERS
c/o ISBS, 5824 N.E. Hassalo Street
Portland, Oregon 97213-3644
Website: www.frankcass.com
Transferred to Digital Printing 2005
Copyright © 2002 Paul Darby
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Darby, Paul
Africa, football and FIFA: politics, colonialism and
resistance. – (Sport in the global society; no. 23)
1. Federation Internationale de Football Association
2. Soccer – Africa 3. Soccer – Political aspects – Africa
4. Africa – Colonial influence
I. Title
796.3'34'096
ISBN 0-7146-4968-6 (cloth)
ISBN 0-7146-8029-X (paper)
ISSN 1368-9789
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Darby, Paul, 1971–
Africa, football, and FIFA: politics, colonialism, and resistance/
Paul Darby.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index.
ISBN 0-7146-4968-6 (cloth) – ISBN 0-7146-8029-X (paper)
1. Soccer–Africa-History. 2. Soccer–Political aspects–Africa.
3. Fédération Internationale de football association. I. Title.
GV944.A4 D37 2001
796.334'096–dc21
2001002915
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher of this book.
Dedicated to the memory of
James Gerard Devlin
1961–1997
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Contents
Foreword ix
Series Editor's Foreword xiii
Acknowledgements xvii
Introduction 1
1. Football Diffusion and Colonial Doctrine in Africa 8
2. Football, Indigenous Resistance and African Independence 23
3. FIFA, Eurocentrism and the Distribution of Power in
World Football 43
4. Africa, Third World Solidarity and the FIFA Presidency 57
5. Havelange, African Resistance and the Struggle for
Global Equity 85
6. UEFA, FIFA and the Scramble for Africa 108
7. Africa and the Campaign for the Summit of World Football 136
8. Theorising Africa's Place in FIFA's Global Order 161
Conclusion 180
Epilogue 188
Notes 192
Bibliography 218
Index 231
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Foreword
Paul Darby takes us on a journey covering various aspects of the development of
football in Africa and the impact of the establishment of FIFA on the African
game and vice versa.
In my view, the current circumstances within which the book is being read is
where the book ends, namely the largely undocumented story of African football
in the international context in the early years of the twenty-first century. The
narrow defeat, almost by penalty shoot-out, of the 2006 bid to host the World Cup
Finals in Africa is of special interest. In a way, this narrow loss of an African bid
to host the Cup Finals in South Africa in 2006 encapsulates and epitomises the
history of football in Africa during the previous century in relation to the
international community and the internationally organised game. Sadly, the bulk
of the story of African football reads almost like a subtext of the history of
dominance by mainly European football and the scramble to maintain its position
of power. Africa and African football were one of the 'pitches' on which this
struggle for, and exercise of, Eurocentric power was played out.
After the 2006 bid, much publicity and emphasis were given to the deciding
vote of one person leading to the narrow defeat of an African bid. Bitter and
painful as it was, this matter should not be centre stage. And the fact that the bid
was awarded to Germany made good sense. It was a sound decision in as far as
Germany's capacity to deliver a successful 2006 World Cup Finals.
I suggest that the real issue to be addressed is quite different. In general and
seen from an African point of view, the central issue is the closeness of the vote.
It is my contention that the outcome should never have been so closely contested.
An opportunity to make and correct history was missed.
It is a well-known fact that FIFA was faced with the historical choice between
innovation and change on the one hand and the reinforcement of established
patterns on the other. It amounted to a decision between Africa (South Africa) and
Europe (Germany). Consequently the words of FIFA's President in announcing
the success of Germany's bid amounts to a profound statement on the history of
the game and the sense of history that prevailed at the time. He indicated that the
decision was a choice in favour of a return of the event to one of the traditional
football powers. The comment is a historical observation that did not pass
unnoticed. A wider and critical sense of the history of football amongst decision
makers, with particular reference to the history of football in Africa as presented
in this book, would probably have provided a different outcome in favour of
Africa or at least an outcome less close than it was. The decision now stands as a
matter of historical record.
It is hoped that the decision not to give Africa the 2006 World Cup Finals will
result in an end to a history characterised by the traditional powers' unbalanced
exercise of influence over the development of the game in Africa. The urgent need