'Moscow fan riots couldn't have come at a worse time' for Sporting Chic in the Sunday Guardian, December 20, 2010
If there was ever an unholy alliance, this is it. Russian football fans and ultranationalists ran riot in the centre of Moscow earlier this week, when a demonstration against the death of a football fan descended into violence and chaos. Over 5000 fans and members of far Right groups joined hands, forces and whatever else they could find to use as weapons to face off against anti-riot forces. While the initial rally was to protest against the shooting of a Spartak Moscow fan, allegedly by a group of men from the Russian Caucasus region, it quickly turned into a race riot, with hooded protestors chanting racist slogans and targeting people from the Russian Caucasus region, an area that has traditionally had a large Muslim population as well as people from Central Asia, Moscow's largest migrant working population. What started in the capital soon turned into the purposeful targeting of marginal groups in Russian society and rapidly spread to other cities.
For Russia, Sepp Blatter and FIFA, news of the violent protests could not have come at a more inopportune time. FIFA's decision to award Russia the winning bid for the World Cup in 2018 has already been the subject of much controversy, and football related protests that turn into violent race-hate and anti-immigration riots aren't going to do very much to silence the critics either.
In the large scheme of things, the incident exposes a troubling nexus between football supporters and Russian extremists. Despite the long-standing tradition of ultra groups within European clubs, it's a tradition that is often steeped in racism and violence. A trend amongst football fans that has been particularly prevalent in Spain and Italy, the more well known amongst them are the Real Madrid ultras, the Espanyol skinhead contingent and the ties between Lazio and right wing groups in Rome. Who can ever forget Lazio icon Paolo Di Canio and his controversial fascist salute to fans at some of their matches?
{ The riots in Moscow have exposed a troubling nexus between football supporters and Russian extremists |
In a year that seems to be all about Barcelona, it comes as no surprise that the team was named Team of the Year and Xavi, midfielder for Barcelona and Spain was named World Soccer's Player of the Year. Through a vote by readers of the World Soccer magazine, Xavi received the largest number of votes, followed closely by Lionel Messi and finally, by popular vote, recognition for Wesley Sneijder in third place. If you thought that winning their league was enough for the Catalan boys in 2010, you were wrong. They won the World Cup for Spain (there's no other way to call it. they may as well have had the Barcelona starting XI playing in Spain shirts), team of the year, player of the year. The club now await an assured a Ballon D'or accolade because the three finalists are Barca players Xavi, Messi and Andres Iniesta.
If you hadn't heard of Tout Puissant Mazembe till this week, don't worry. No one had. Not until Mazembe's incredible win over Internacional to become the first African side as well as the first team from outside Europe and South America to qualify for the finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. In what is being heralded as the greatest win by an African club in football history, the club from the Democratic Republic of Congo beat Internacional 2-0, after goals from new national heroes Mulota Kubangu and Dioko Kaluyituka. The star of the game for Mazembe was their heroic goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba, who pulled off a series of point blank saves. He denied Internacional strikers several goals, between his skills in goal and his celeberatory dance moves, he most certainly will have a superb reception awaiting him in the Congo.
Mazembe play the final in Abu Dhabi against a struggling Inter Milan who will be looking to win the tournament, certainly, their only real chance at a trophy this season. The African champions may be far from favourites to win but they have the support of an entire continent behind them.
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