THURSDAY COLUMN – EAGLE EYE Absurdities Of FIFA’s Ban As deadline hour looms large today in the feared hammer from world soccer governing body, FIFA on Nigeria, several contending issues continue surfacing in the search for answers to the riddle and the hunt for a route (or routes) out of the labyrinth called international football ban. Ironically, when everyone thinks we have reached a point of denouement in the quest, we only end up realizing that it is rigmarole with a continuum, so near yet so far, as any defensive case declared by the Nigerian authorities, either credible or illogical, will inevitably come up against a brick wall called international football statutes. As pointed out earlier this week, rightfully so, by renowned sports editor, publisher and international football official, Paul Bassey, Nigeria cannot play the game in isolation and, no matter how logical, veracious we think our arguments are, as raised by sports minister, Dr Tammy Danagogo, our hands are still tied under the banner of FIFA. It takes me to a situation I often had during my school days, when I was wont to define democracy as ‘oppression of the minority by the majority,’ since constructive ideas of the few will always be subject to that of the larger number of voices or fingers raised in support of a contrary view; even if an independent assessor would consider them insidious. That, apparently, now appears to be the absurdity of our case with FIFA, since we are now left with a scenario where the global body is in contrariety with Danagogo’s idea of removing Alhaji Aminu Maigari and his executive committee due to a court order sacking the board, as well as sequel to shortcomings they are ostensibly culpable of in the area of financial accountability and, very cogent, the fact that they failed with our World Cup expedition. In a normal setting, where the tenets of democracy and morality are followed to the letter, Maigari et al would have quit honorable before we even think of sending them to the cleaners. Since they failed to quit, we have tried pushing them out, but FIFA has a different interpretation of rights accruing to soccer lords within their respective countries and the global body won’t listen to any argument about sovereignty, national adaptability and internal idiosyncrasies. The average student of political science or government would argue that FIFA should not interfere in internal matters of their respective affiliate nations, and I would unabatedly agree with that suggestion, considering that it follows the international global order set out by the United Nations, that every member country should be left to determine and shape its own destiny according to its respective, peculiar and traditionally relevant ethos. Why then is FIFA different? Why can’t FIFA go the way of the United Nations and allow each nation shape its own football structure the way it deems fit, especially in a clime like ours where the soccer federation will keep running back to the same government that must not to interfere with its destiny. How absurd. Is it not oft stated that he who pays the piper dictates the tune? The argument now, which I believe is very cogent, is that: since it’s our government that foots NFF’s bills and pays for all its activities, FIFA’s rule against interference by political authorities is not only absurd but also jaded, anachronistic, archaic and obsolete. Simply put, time has come for a reversal of that part of FIFA’s statutes. We must move with the times, adjust according to empirical realities and admit that flexibility is an academically recognized requirement in the manifestation, implementation and interpretation of regulations guiding any form of human endeavor. However, the need for change can only be argued and pursued by those who feel the pinch. Which means time has come for African countries to lead a crusade and orchestrate moves for change in FIFA’s rules; from the point of view that each nation ought to have the advantage, privilege and opportunity of self-realisation and internal sovereignty. The missing point in this, though, is that countries under the FIFA banner, especially those in Africa, could effortlessly politicize appointment of FA bosses, like the case in which Nigeria’s very effective past sports minister was removed without any ado, and there would many cases of the recent mistake in which a sole administrator was appointed for the NFF with de facto dispatch, whereas the inimitable approach should have been for the congress coming together first to shape the new order. Inevitably, reflections on that error will leave us wondering if FIFA is right after all…
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 17:39:07 +0000
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