Philippine Daily Inquirer

JAPAN’S FOOTBALL PLAYERS WORTH EMULATING

- CRISTINO S. SANTOS, crisan724@yahoo.com

OUR basketball players recently figured in a brawl with Australia at the Fiba Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers. To say that it was a disappoint­ment is a gross understate­ment, because it was, in fact, dishearten­ing. To have ever engaged in violence in an activity like sports, which promotes fitness, excellence and sportsmans­hip, is truly unthinkabl­e.

Sanctions are expected to be imposed on those involved; it could mean suspension or, worse, a ban. Their livelihood could be in jeopardy.

In contrast, there is Japan, which bowed out of the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Despite a dramatic loss to Belgium, the Japanese fans still helped clean the stadium, while the Blue Samurais left their changing room spotlessly clean, and with a heartwarmi­ng thankyou note in Russian.

Japan is not a perfect country, but this gesture is worth emulating. Manners bring order to a society. An orderly society is an efficient society, and an efficient society is a progressiv­e country.

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