World Cup haze will not banish Russian stereotypes
Seven-and-a-half years ago, on December 2 2010, after Russia had been named as hosts of the 2018 World Cup, Vladimir Putin spoke at a media conference in Zurich. The tournament would open Russia to the world. It would bring light to the former Soviet Union.
“A lot of stereotypes from previous times, from the Cold War era, fly all over Europe, and they frighten people,” Putin was quoted as saying. “The more contact we have, the more these stereotypes will be destroyed.”
Eight years after the first and only World Cup was held in Africa, and a day before the kick-off of the tournament that Putin claimed would break down stereotypes, Tamara Pletnyova, the head of the Russian parliament’s committee for families, women and children, told a radio station that Russian women should not have sex with black foreigners because that would lead to the sin of them becoming single mothers of mixed-race babies.
The Guardian reported that another Russian legislator, Alexander Sherin, warned: “Russians should be careful in their interactions with foreigners as they might try to circulate banned substances at the tournament.”
Taking Russia to the world, and the world to Russia? No, wait, that’s that other moneysucker. Being black and foreign in Russia will only be surpassed for unwelcome points by being black, foreign and gay. There will be stories of abuse, racist, homophobia and otherwise.
The Russian ultras may be out to show they are the best football hooligans on the planet. And, with that, I have reached my fill of stereotypes for the time being. Watch this space.
What to expect of 2018? The unexpected, naturally. The host nation’s team has been derided as being rubbish, but were set up against Saudi Arabia in the opening match and so should at least clock one win.
Even Putin does not think his countrymen will fare well. He is backing one of Spain, Germany, Argentina or Brazil to win. Putin never backs losers.
Who to watch? England have gone into the World Cup full of bounce and confidence, which should mean that they will be knocked out on penalties by Germany at some stage. Belgium are, once again, everyone’s dark horses.
I’m looking forward to Mo Salah’s possible reunion with Sergio Ramos. Salah is an outside bet to start in the first match after the Ramos judo throw. He has also come through unscathed despite being dragged out of his hotel room bed by officials to pose with Ramzan Kadyrov, the grandstanding leader of the Chechen Republic accused of oppression.
He arrived at the Egyptian training session this week to find that Salah was not there. So, he walked off the field, waited for Salah, then made a grand entrance with him. It’s about the image. SA thought the 2010 World Cup would bring a huge economic and public relations hit with it, proving cost-effective for the $3.9bn it spent. Russia has dropped $11bn.
In 2010, Jacob Zuma had been president for over a year. The rand hovered around R7 and some change to the dollar. A Budweiser cost R30 at the stadiums.
The opening match was glorious. It was a wonderful time to be a South African. But, then it ended and SA was left with very little but a slew of accusations and a president intent on feathering his nest.
Perhaps we should have realised how easily he was twisted by dodgy men when Sepp Blatter all but dragged him to the podium at the final to hand over the trophy to Spain.
The World Cup brings strange days indeed. A few days after Donald Trump had insulted one of the US’s closest allies, it was announced the US would be co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup. Someone will have to kiss and make up with Canada. That wall with Mexico will have to wait.
The World Cup drops a haze over what ails a host nation. It puts it behind a wall of sound, a slap of distraction via patriotism and hero worship.
The World Cup has a power to make the planet stand still. But, in time, all of the stereotypes will return. The 2018 World Cup will not make us see Russia in a new light.