Dear FIFA
Togo being disqualified makes this man's death in vain...
via CNN:
Togo's national soccer team have been officially disqualified from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The region's governing football body for football has confirmed that the team, known as the "Hawks", will take no further part in the tournament being hosted by Angola after failing to appear for their first group game against Ghana on Monday, according to CNN affiliate ITN.
The squad flew back home to Togo after three of their traveling party were killed and two players seriously injured by a machine-gun attack which occurred as their bus crossed the border into the northern, oil-rich state of Cabinda on Friday.
Why is death an impetus for lack of understanding? Or better yet, why does the death of a comrade (only word I wanted to use; I'm not a Commie) not inspire people instead of make them fearful and contentious? The latter is your stee-lo, FIFA. Togo was eliminated from the CAF African Nations Cup after failing to show for their first match. No, they weren't on a delayed flight or getting a new pair of shin-guards for Emmanuel Adebayor. THEY WERE GETTING ATTACKED BY MACHINE GUNS! I could understand if the team was being a fist full of assholes and just not showing up, but where do sympathy and reverence come into play?
Soccer has always been one of the sports I respected because of how regal and tradition-based it is without being a bore. Now, can that really be said? And better yet, what of the security of the rest of the squads in the Nations Cup? If the Togolese team is getting shot up before they even get to the tournament, then I shudder to think what could happen when all of the teams are together. And to that same effect, what's going to be the deal when the World Cup goes down in June?? Is the security going to be that loose? Whatever the case, FIFA, you guys need to both beef up your security and LET TOGO PLAY. By disqualifying them, you're letting those crazed attackers think they won, which would be the ultimate L, no matter who wins the Nations Cup...