Authoritarian regimes often used sports, especially football, for propaganda. For example, Mussolini did it in the 1934 World Cup, and was “copied” by Brazil in 1950 – except they lost the final match. Other times the kermesse is created out of nothing. This is the case of the Gold Cup played in Uruguay between 1980 and 1981. A basically useless competition, wanted by the deviated Masonic Lodge P2 and the Uruguayan dictatorship…
Football and homophobia, a taboo hard to overcome
Homosexuality in sports can still be a taboo, especially for male athletes. Those (statistically) hiding it aren’t to blame. They’re probably still scared that their career and life would turn to hell, as precedents aren’t comforting…
Arpad Weisz, from the Championship to Auschwitz
News about Arpad Weisz ended in 1938, when Mussolini promulgated the racial laws. Jewish foreigners living in Italy after 1919 are forced to leave the country. At that moment, Weisz is at the top of his career…
Omosessualità nel calcio, un tabù difficile da infrangere
Per uno sportivo, soprattutto di sesso maschile, dichiarare la propria omosessualità sembra essere un tabù duro a morire. Febbraio è stato il mese europeo per l’azione contro l’omofobia nel calcio e negli sport…
Against all odds
Football (or soccer for those who live in the U.S.) is loved and treated like a religion by many fans because is not an exact science. So, even if it’s not likely, sometimes happens that the underdog takes the trophy home, against all odds. There are many Cinderella stories, like Denmark 1992, Greece 2004, Iraq 2007…
Africa, magic and football: the hat of Robert Mensah
Is the final of the African Champions League of 1971 and Asante Kotoko is leading, until the corrupted referee gives a penalty to the home team, Englebert. The coach of Asante wants to pull back the team, to protest, but the goalkeeper Robert Mensah stops him. He’s got his magic hat, but the opponents say it’s juju, therefore against the rules. If he will defend the goal, he will have to take it off…
Africa, magic and football: the curse of Ivory Coast
Africa has the stereotype of being the most superstitious continent, since the colonizers defined “juju” the sum of beliefs, traditions and rituals. Actually they are banned, to give a more secular image, but somehow they still can have their powerful effects…