FIFA president Sepp Blatter and the head of the Confederation of African Football Issa Hayatou have slammed the "western media" over their reporting of the crowd violence that marred Thursday's Africa Cup of Nations semifinal between Ghana and hosts Equatorial Guinea.
Thursday's
game saw home fans pelting Ghana's players and supporters with bottles,
rocks, broken glass and cutlery after Equatorial Guinea conceded two
quick first half goals.
The game resumed in the second half but was halted after further violence directed at Ghana's supporters.
According
to eye witnesses the security situation was sufficiently dire that a
helicopter was deployed to hover low over the stadium and scatter the
rioting fans.
There were reports of
further riots in the streets around the stadium. Several Ghanaian
supporters were also injured during the violence. One Ghanaian football
official described the scene as being like a "warzone."
Chaos
"In front of me was utter chaos -- angry, screaming fans. But there were scared, scurrying fans, too," recalled Gary Al Smith, a Ghanaian football journalist who was in the stadium at the time.
"I've
never played in front of anything like that and I'd like to say sorry
on behalf of my team," said Equatorial Guinea's star player Emilio Nsue
after the match was restarted and his team had lost 3-0.
"It was an odd experience -- one I've never felt before."
Yet
on the eve of the final, Blatter and Hayatou held a press conference
where they blamed western journalists for making the violence sound
worse than it was.
"When something bad
happens in Europe, they say it's an error. When something happens in
Africa, they begin talking about corruption," Hayatou said, before
adding that he believed "the western media are simply here to perpetuate
colonization."
Blatter, who will fight
a FIFA presidential election in May and is relying on African votes to
secure another term of office, later seemed to endorse those remarks.
"The
media can play a role, must play a role, but they must play a role
where the notions of respect and fair play are the basics," Blatter
said.
"Today the world opens the newspapers, watches television, and sees only murders and killing," he added.
"We never talk about princesses marrying any more."
Blatter
went on to congratulate Equatorial Guinea's hosting of the tournament.
The tiny oil rich nation, which has been severely criticized over its
human rights record, stepped in at the last moment after Morocco pulled
out citing fears about the spread of the Ebola virus.
Equatorial
Guinea had been fined close to $100,000 over the violence and ordered
to pay the expenses of the 36 injured Ghanaian fans.
Third place
Saturday saw another potential flashpoint pass without incident.
The
Democratic Republic of Congo beat Equatorial Guinea on penalties in the
third place play off after the two teams played out a 0-0 draw.
Before the game several players had suggested that the tie should be played behind closed doors with no supporters.
One player, Democratic Republic of Congo defender Gabriel Zakuani, even suggested forfeiting the match altogether.
"If
they're throwing this at players, Eq Guinea, you can have 3rd place,"
he tweeted after the incident, alongside a picture of some of the
objects that had been thrown from the stands.
"I love football but prefer to live. #AFCON2015."
In
the end the match took place under tight security with barely 500
supporters in the stadium. All eyes will now be on Sunday's showpiece
final, which will again take place in Bata.
Meanwhile, journalists covering the event have reacted incredulously to Hayatou and Blatter's remarks.
."Blatter's got me bang to rights," tweeted British football journalist Jonathan Wilson.
"I for one am ashamed I reported the trouble I witnessed in Malabo rather than seeking a marrying princess."
No comments:
Post a Comment