Sports and Society II

By: Bikal Dhungel 

The Story of French Football and Ethnic Politics

Since the beginning of Olympic Games in 1904, Sports has been one of the rear occasions when people from different places, countries and continents come together and compete with each other within a set of rules. People of different colours and religions put their faith aside and follow the one universal rule. Sports has united people. Sports has therefore also been a political tool for ideologies. The Nazis used sports to justify their ideologies for example to prove the superiority of a certain race. This was proved to be wrong when for example Jesse Owens, a black athlete representing the United States won 100 meter gold in Berlin Olympics. Sports has united two Koreas when North and South Korea walked under one flag in Sydney Olympics 2000.

Along with country level political issues, sports also mirror societal issues. The French team of France 98 World Cup was represented by the children of Arab and African immigrants along with ethnic french won the world cup shifting a public opinion towards more pro-immigrants. The French society in major cities of Paris, Mersailles, Leon etc suffered from parallel societies where people from different ethnic communities did not go well along. Coloured people with immigrant background felt discriminated in the job market and a research showed that the likelihood to be invited for a job interview was up to six times more likely if the applicant's name is ethnic French. This is unfortunately the same in other European countries with some variances. Hence, the team 'Les Blues' consisting of ethnic French like the goalkeeper Barthez, children of African and Carrebean immigrants like Lilian Thuram and children of Arab Immigrants like Zinedine Zidane were representing the french team. It was a real representation of French society. Immigrants of all groups went to the society carrying French flag regardless of ethnic origin. When Zidane scored, Arabs, Blacks and Whites celebrated. When Barthez stopped the shot, all of them celebrated. Miraculously, France reached the final and was confronting the giant, 4 times world cup winners Brazil, equipped with superstars like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos. The game was tough. Brazil was sure to win its 5th title and France was thirsty to make history in-front of its 60 million supporters watching the game at home. When Zidane scored twice, it was sure that France will stop the game with that score and will lift the world cup. In the second half, Petit scored the third which absolutely slaughtered the spirit of Brazilians and France indeed lifted the cup. The super screens of Paris were displaying 'Zidane for President'. All of a sudden, Whites, Blacks and Arabs were friends, the night was celebrated lifting the French flag and the whole French society changed the next morning. A son of an Arab Immigrant made France a world champion. That day will never be forgotten. President Jacques Chirac thanked the team which gave every effort to lift the cup. This symbolic victory was a lesson to many multi-ethnic countries that together we can achieve everything. A french team consisting of ethnic French could not have won the World Cup. In another 2 years of 'les bleus', the French became European Champions with almost the same squad that won 2 years ago. Suddenly, they were no more football players rather super stars, who were spending most time for Brands like NIKE and PUMA to Adidas.

Unfortunately, the years ahead, French sports was full of conflicts, scandals and so on which directly had impact on the performance of the team. It was resolved to some extent and finally in 2006, the dream team was called back and France again made to the final in 2006 World Cup in Germany. The final game was turbulent, with lots of cards to both side. The game was a draw and it went to extra time. When people around the world were holding their breaths, Zidane headed Materrazi to the ground as he supposedly insulting him and  was sent off the ground. Some people took this as an insult for the nation because Zidane was in a critical condition of the game and he had to do anything to win, however, others found his action reasonable because insulting other players is against the spirit of the game. The game went to Penalty shootout and Italy won the World Cup. Public Opinion in France was divided, as well as in other parts of the world.

Even though the dream team continued playing in club levels, the national football endured other scandals and conflicts. In South Africa 2010, some players of French team, like Nicolas Anelka left the country and later the team agreed to support him instead of the trainer. Hence, the French performance was again bad. The political parties in France used every opportunity to use this for their political goals. Again, luckily scandals were forgotten, team was managed a new and the team made up to the final in 2016 Euro. Lets hope the french team will get rid of scandals and conflicts in the future.

Similar story can be told about other European countries. Germany, with about 40% of football national players having immigrant background reached the semi final in 2010 and still some of the same players lift the World Cup in 2014, with Miroslav Klose with all time leading goal scorer with 16 goals. It again shows, like in the case of France that together, anything could be achieved. We can see the same in Belgian team with star players with their foreign roots as well as the case with 2016 Euro cup winner Portugal. The only goal scorer 'Eder' ( Ederzito Antonio Macedo Lopes ) is a first generation immigrant from Guinea Bissau with Portuguese passport. His scoring, hence making the country European champion has perhaps shifted the public opinion towards immigrants living in Portugal.

This does not limit to football. Going deeper into other sports and other fields, the list will be longer. What we can learn from these success stories are, if chances are given according to the skills one had, the result will be fruitfull and the society as country as a whole profits from it.