IF IT WAS AFRICA

By Chinedu laurel Okorodike (Aka Juanizy)

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IF IT WAS AFRICA

The world usually see Africa as an under developed continent filled with violent people who can’t get things right or organized a successful football competition without witnessing violence from fans.

Such has been the thought of some of the Western world. Even South Africa hosting the 2010 FIFA world Cup did little to change that.

During the semi-final match between host Equatorial Guinea and Ghana at the 2015 Africa Nations Cup there was crowd trouble.

That crowd trouble started when missiles were thrown by fans and supporters of Equatorial Guinea at players and supporters of Ghana, with fans angry at some refereeing decisions. Bottles were thrown onto the pitch and the Ghana players were forced to leave the pitch at half-time under a tunnel made of riot shields.The bottle throwing continued after the break.

"Soon after the third goal went in, a section of Ghana fans pushed through a gate and made it onto the running track behind the goal. With them so close to the pitch, the match was stopped. Equatorial Guinea players pleaded with fans to stop throwing objects but to no avail.

"A police helicopter tried to intimidate fans by flying just 20 or 30 metres above their heads. Then police moved in with tear gas and batons to move the fans away. The press box emptied, too, as the tear gas spread.

Hundreds of Ghanaian fans ran to the race tracks of the stadium as they were attacked by fans of Equatorial Guinea. It took the help of military helicopters to evacuate some of the troublemakers before the match was restarted in a near empty stadium. Ghana went on to win that match 3-0 but lost to Didier Drogba Ivory Coast in the final.

The situation was exaggerated by the western media especially the BBC. Which led to CAF president Issa Hayatou saying "The press always dramatise events in Africa, particularly the western press.The western media are simply here to perpetuate colonisation."

He added: "When something bad happens in Europe, they say it's an error. When something happens in Africa, they begin talking about corruption."

Which led to CAF president Issa Hayatou saying "The press always dramatise events in Africa, particularly the western press.The western media are simply here to perpetuate colonisation."He added: "When something bad happens in Europe, they say it's an error. When something happens in Africa, they begin talking about corruption."

Now fast forward to the ongoing Euro 2016 competition currently going on in France which has witnessed handful of violence and crowd trouble far more greater than what happened in 2015 in Equatorial Guinea.

The first week of the Euro 2016 competition was marred by Russian and England supporters engaging in brutal fight. French police had to use tear gas on fans before the match as Russian fans charged on England supporters in the Stade Velodrome after the game ended. Russian hooligans chanted 'Die, die, die' at an England football fan as police saved his life.

The French Police reported that a core group made up of about "150 hyper violent organized Russian hooligans traveled to the French city with the aim of causing violence and mayhem. (Imagine if it was the Nigerian police or any other police in the Africa continent that made this statement).

The situation left Russia president Vladimer Putin bemused which led him to say "I don't know how 150 - 200 Russia fans could beat up several thousand of the British fans"

UEFA swiftly swung to action and handed Russia a suspended disqualification and a fine of €150,000 and also threatened to throw Russia out of EURO 2016, if similar scenario comes up again.

But that did not put a stop to hooliganism as fans of other countries soon started theirs. First to kick off the trend was Germany and Ukraine.

On 12th June, German and Ukrainian fans clashed in the French city of Lille, with further violence and street battles. UEFA later said they had "serious concerns" over security in the city. An additional 4,000 police were drafted in. Four Russian fans were later arrested, with French police planning to deport them.

The violence continue and this time it was the turn of French hooligans and Northern Ireland supporters, who had been drinking alcohol with their Polish counterpart in the French city of Nice,ahead of the match between Northern Ireland and Poland.

Reports later showed the attack had been provoked by the French "hooligans". Six Northern Irish and a Polish supporter were injured, one of them seriously injured.

Massive violence followed and this time it was the turn of the notorious Russian hooligans who attacked three Spanish tourist on the evening of 16th June. The attack started when the Spaniards, two men and one woman, put stickers with anti-fascist slogans on a lamp post.

Click play to watch how England Fans & Local Youths Clashed In Marseilles, stoning themselves metal chairs which left one England fan now in coma.

According to the police, the group of Russian fans were members of a right-wing group. In their possession authorities found tickets to the Euro 2016 games of the Russian team against England and Slovakia as well as disguises such as masks. Six attackers were detained, five of them immediately after the attack and one at the airport.

Then finally yesterday (17th June 2016) during the match between Czech Republic and Croatia in Saint-Etienne, in the 86th minute of the match, Croatian fans threw fire sticks into the pitch, causing referee Mark Clattenburg to stop the match over security concerns.

It did not stop there as Croatian fans fought amongst themselves, and there was also a fight between Czech and Croatian supporters. An Innocent steward was struck with a fire cracker (what we popularly call knockout in Nigeria) after a Croatian fan threw it onto the field and Croatian football player Ivan Perišić was nearly struck when a fire cracker flew in his direction.

A total of eight fire stick and numerous fire cracker, as well as other objects, were thrown into the field. Croatian players tried to calm the crowd without success. Referee Clattenburg then moved every player into the center of the field to avoid possible injury. The match resumed after five minutes, with the score at 1–2 to Croatia, but finished 2-2 after a late equaliser.

Russian and English fans clashed again same yesterday, requiring the police to use tear gas to break up crowds. Fans were chased away by riot police away from the main square, and the atmosphere calmed.

So far at least 36 people were arrested following brawling battle between England and Russia fans in Lille city center on 15 June which left a total of 16 people hospitalized.

French Minister of Interior, Bernard Cazeneuve, swiftly asked all participating cities in the tournament to ban the sale of alcohol on both match days and the day before them. He also recommended a ban on selling any containers that can be used as missiles.

Now imagine all this incident I have written above happened in our continent Africa, especially Nigeria. Imagine how the western press would have painted and reported the story with magniloquent patterns and styles .

Also imagine how our bloggers and websites (including the top ones you reading this my article loving visiting with your mobile phone everyday) would have written about it with high class of raconteur with the aim of attracting massive traffic (readers and viewers).

Maybe some countries (western world) would have ordered for the immediate return of its contingent citing "lack of safety as it's reason".

This is a lesson that crime and violence is not based on the color of the skin or the continent involved, but rather on the mindset of the individual perpetrating it.

The violence and hooliganism witness currently in France could have been avoided if UEFA and the LOC (Local Organizing committee) of the EURO 2016 were not complacent. So we can rightly accused UEFA and the LOC base on the fact that previous competition had been relatively peaceful.

To Nigerians who fail to turn up for Nigeria Professional League matches (NPFL) citing "lack of security" at match venues. We have never had this type of violence and God on our side won't. So judge yourself.

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