The Sunday Tribune

Out of Africa

With the curtains coming down on one of the biggest sporting spectacles, India can take some cues from South Africa’s hosting of FIFA World Cup 2010 as it gets closer to staging the Commonwealth Games. Vaibhav Sharma reports after a visit to the soccer-struck nation

A view of the Soccer City stadium in Soweto, near Johannesburg. Built in 1987,
the stadium got a revamped capacity for 1,04,000 football fans Photo: AFP

THEY say it is the biggest sports extravaganza on earth. Bigger and better than anything that happens in the four years between each event. Yes, it is the FIFA World Cup that we are talking about. This is the tournament, which can halt business, diplomatic meetings and, at times, even nations. There are many pretenders and contenders for the crown of the top sport in the world, but every four years, soccer beats them hands down. And this time, South Africa, with real big help from its own people, has beaten the doomsayers and detractors, who could not come to terms with the fact that the country, not among the so-called developed nations, could play host to the event in such a magnificent manner.

A photo tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the ‘Top of Africa’ in Johannesburg
Photos by the writer

Gandhi geri

That Mahatma Gandhi was and continues to be an influential figure in South Africa’s history needs little mention. The city of Johannesburg, in particular, has done its share for the remembrance of India’s most influential man. It has its own Gandhi Square, near the City Centre. And, in 2003, the city got its own bronze statue of a young Mohandas Gandhi, the lawyer. The statue was unveiled on October 2, 2003. Gandhi practised as an attorney at the Johannesburg Law Courts, which were the city’s first law courts, then known as Government Square and later renamed as Gandhi Square.

A glowing street sign made up of footballs
A glowing street sign
made up of footballs

Game for a bargain

Getting stereotyped because of your nationality is a pretty
common all across the globe. For Indians, South Africa is not a bad place to go to, as they are looked up to as not only people from Gandhi’s country, but also as doctors, since the common perception is that it is the medical profession that most of our billion-strong population aspires to get into. In South Africa, it seems they know an Indian from his bargaining skills. The moment you ask for a better deal, you are asked, “Are you from India, my friend?” — VS

So, what can India learn from this African display of grandeur, from the hosting of an event without, by and large, any chaos, mess, and political bickering? A lot actually, with the 2010 Commonwealth Games just around the corner.

It may be unfair to compare something as huge as the FIFA World Cup with the Commonwealth Games, with the former event’s sheer scale, the level of competition, the international exposure and the canvas being much bigger. But since a less-developed nation like South Africa has done it, there may be lessons in it for India, which has not hosted a major international sporting event in the last almost two decades (Not counting the cricket World Cups and the IPL since this sport is hardly a global
phenomenon).

There is not too much difference between the systemic bottlenecks, the divisions and the economic conditions of the two countries. But when it comes to implementation, the disparities begin to get wider. There is nothing quite like the efficiency displayed by South Africans and, conversely, the inefficiency that has come to the fore in India’s preparation for the Commonwealth Games.

The biggest impact that any major sporting event makes on the host country is in terms of infrastructure. New stadiums, improved playing fields, world-class environments and better conditions for the crowds; all these factors mean that not just sports and players’ performances but also the general infrastructure gets a boost.

‘Stun’ city

In this respect, the difference in Bafana Bafana’s (the South African soccer team) performance was there for all to see. The team had a draw with Mexico and beat former champions France in what could be termed as a historic tournament, despite them not making it beyond the first round. The fantastic stadiums and the excellent facilities on offer made soccer fans throng the venues and made FIFA take note of this success story.

On the other hand, deadlines being missed and extended regularly, blame games between various agencies and political interference are the common tale of our preparation for the Commonwealth Games. The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue for the athletics events and also for the opening ceremony, has still not been completed. Many other stadiums, too, are waiting for the final touches. Will we be ready on time? Even if the stadiums won’t be, we’ll surely be ready with cover-ups or excuses.

It is not possible to host so many nations or cater to the large influx of tourists for a sports event without the help and proper cooperation of the locals. The governments can make the arrangements, but it is the locals who ensure that they are used in the best possible way. This is where South Africa has scored high, and thrown up some of the biggest surprises.

Take, for instance, the city of Johannesburg, which, in other times, is referred to as the crime capital of the country. But it put up a global and a presentable face for the World Cup. Owing to this, the city, which has pockets where racial and other crimes are rampant, was buzzing with activity with hordes of tourists thronging it. The reason was simple, the locals realised the importance of that moment. They knew that with the world looking at them, and coming to them, this was their chance to reap the benefits of a tourist boom.

New Delhi, the 2010 CWG host city, faces many problems in this context. First and foremost, and this is something any frequent traveller to the Capital will tell you, is the problem of traffic. For instance, to reach the bypass to Chandigarh from the airport means you will take as much, if not more time, as a Delhi-Mumbai flight. Then, there is the obvious angle of safety for women, which has been a cause of shame for the nation and its Capital on many occasions in the recent past. One standard by which the safety of any city can be gauged is how well it treats its women. With foreign tourists coming in, and camping in Delhi, the locals will really have to be at their best. The entire Atithi Devo Bhava campaign will go through its strongest test, and affect India’s credibility and claims of being a part of the big league.

Talking of the leadership behind such spectacles, with the influential world figure Nelson Mandela now being retired, the politicians under Jacob Zuma showed the will and the grit to uphold the prestige of their country. They showed the courage to make bold plans, decisions and then implement them in the given time. They realised that the world was waiting for them to slip up, but they didn’t. The people of South Africa were inspired by this and put aside the racial differences to move closer.

Otherwise known as the crime capital of SA, Johannesburg, which also hosted Africa Fashion Week recently, put its best foot forward for the FIFA World Cup Photo: Reuters

The Bafana Bafana comprised all coloured players, still support for them was spread across uniformly.

"The biggest reason why the FIFA World Cup 2010 was held in such a grand fashion was because the politicians showed the will to prove a point. To show to the world and, to a certain extent, even to ourselves, that we could do it as well as the others and, in some ways, even better than them," Dr Ali Bacher, former administrator, South African Cricket Board, underscoring the value of good leadership in conducting a successful soccer World Cup.

Now, coming back to the Indian context. We really are going about this entire CWG business without a ‘leader’. Whenever there is an inauguration to be made, credit to be taken, the list of people ‘responsible’ has endless names. But the moment there is talk of a delay, a deadline being missed or any other scam, the blame game begins. Can we, for once, realise that if this approach carries on, a great opportunity for India to make a mark could well turn into a blot.

Sports Minister M. S. Gill’s comment comparing the CWG to an Indian wedding might have been made in a lighter vein, but it sure tells you that even he cannot guarantee you a delay-free, well-planned and smooth run for the Games. A perfect 10 for the sense of humour behind the remark, but what of the sense of responsibility?

For, the Commonwealth Games will be as much about performing on the field as they will be about delivering the right infrastructure off the field. The facilities that are coming up in and around New Delhi might help our sportsmen prepare for the London Olympics, but because the progress is tardy, the so-called home advantage can hardly be seen.

South Africa has delivered, and they have done so in style, and on a much bigger stage. Let’s hope that just like it was Ke Nako (It’s time) for South Africa, it will be Ayoba (Let’s rock) for India.

While the newly constructed Cycling Velodrome at Indira Gandhi Stadium, a venue for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, was inaugurated recently, many other stadiums for the event in New Delhi are still awaiting the finishing touches Photo: PTI

"The biggest reason why the FIFA World Cup 2010 was held in such a grand fashion was because politicians showed the will to prove a point. To show to the world and, to a certain extent, even to ourselves, that we could do it as well as the others and, in some ways, even better than them." — Dr Ali Bacher, former administrator, South African Cricket Board

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