Politics in sport a no-no

IT has so often been proved that politics and sport are bad bedfellows. There have been too many times sports federations are caught in the middle of political storms over disagreements which has nothing to do with sport.

For instance, national teams are forced to play on neutral venues when two countries are gripped by unrest with power hungry despots the cause of civil wars which most often wreck their country.

There have been internal wrangles as a result of disagreements between national leaders as was the case between Nigeria and South Africa when the former pulled out of the 1996 Nations Cup tournament because of toxic politics following General Sani Abacha’s refusal to heed Nelson Mandela’s plea not to execute activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

There have been many other instances when governments take issue with sports controlling bodies by suspending their top brass for whatever reason.

It is for that reason that Fifa, world governing body, will not countenance any interference in football at all.

If there is such than the relevant country is likely to be expelled from the world body much like when non-racial sporting bodies succeeded in getting apartheid South Africa booted out of the international game.

The message was clear: governments must stay out of football business or else.

This week a politician from the ruling ANC called on South African football supporters to boycott the PSL league match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, two of the biggest brands on the continent.

The Soweto derby is one of the most popular football fixtures on the PSL calendar and draws the biggest crowds in domestic fare.

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi made an appeal to South Africans to boycott sporting events associated with Vodacom over the payment to the ‘‘Please Call Me” inventor Nkosana Makate.

The young man is claiming millions from the cellphone company in a long-running battle in a matter which has yet to be resolved.

The company said it is negotiating with Makate for a “reasonable compensation”, but nothing has been agreed as yet.

However despite the overtures of Lesufi the derby fans have not heeded the call and it is highly likely today’s match will be sold out.

If fans stayed away it would be a huge financial blow to the organisers of the match.

How Fifa would’ve reacted if that had to happen is the big question.

It would be a case of politics interfering in sport – a definite no-no for the world body.

If fans stayed away it would be a huge financial blow to the organisers. Politics interfering in sport is a no-no