Mandela Anuvabe

Emmanuel Ayamga

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Kara Welsh was on her way to a very promising career. At 21, she was already a national gymnastics champion after starring at the NCAA Division III championships. Welsh was also a student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she majored in sports management at the university's College of Business and Economics.

All her dreams of graduating with a degree and becoming one of America’s most decorated gymnasts ended abruptly on the night of August 30, when she was shot dead by her boyfriend Chad Richards. Richards, who has since been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, shot her eight times with a black gun.

Welsh’s death did not just cut short an auspicious career, but also plunged the victim’s family and an entire community into depression. The university had to offer counselling to its gymnastics team and coaches after they were informed of the tragic death of their colleague in-person.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We offer our deepest condolences to Kara’s family, friends and teammates at <a href="https://twitter.com/UWWGymnastics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UWWGymnastics</a>. <a href="https://t.co/5XsUEway2n">pic.twitter.com/5XsUEway2n</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1830300886993883279?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Welsh’s younger sister, Kaeli, was inconsolable when she spoke at a hearing. "She [Kara] was the strongest person I know, both physically and mentally," a deeply emotional Kaeli said as she fought back her tears. "She had so much more to give the world than gymnastics.”

Indeed, Welsh had a lot to give to the world. And there are thousands of people like her who have lost their lives in a similar fashion due to the spate of gun violence in the United States.

America has had a gun violence problem for decades, although many are reluctant to admit it. But with the country set to be one of three host nations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this epidemic of gun violence can no longer be overlooked.

The World Cup is meant to be a celebration of football, but the safety of fans should always come first. Nobody should travel for a tournament anywhere and not return home in one piece.

<h2>America’s love for guns should scare fans gracing World Cup</h2>

By design, America as a country has encouraged its citizens to love guns, having struggled to draw a line between freedom and absurdity. The US Constitution’s Second Amendment backs “a well-regulated Militia” as being necessary to the security of a free State and stipulates that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

To this end, even as America continues to struggle with mass shootings and incidents of gun violence, the majority of its citizens believe the solution is to possess more guns. Laws concerning the minimum legal age required to possess a gun remain lax and grey.

While persons below 18 are prohibited from owning handguns under federal law, there is no minimum age for owning a shotgun or rifle. In fact, it’s technically legal for a<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/08/27/in-30-states-a-child-can-still-legally-own-a-rife-or-shotgun/"> child to possess a long gun in 30 states</a> in the US.

In Arizona, just three days before Welsh’s boyfriend emptied eight bullets into her neck,<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28948946"> a nine-year-old girl accidentally killed a shooting instructor</a>. How did she even get close to a gun? The instructor, Charles Vacca, was teaching her how to use a high-powered submachine gun when the recoil from the automatic fire caused her to lose control of the Uzi and she ended up shooting the instructor in the head.

But why should a nine-year-old be handling guns instead of reading books or watching anime movies? Back in 2008, a similar incident saw an eight-year-old boy tragically lose his life after accidentally shooting himself in the head during a gun expo in Massachusetts.

“If dad wants to give his son a rifle or a shotgun on his 13th or 14th birthday, he's pretty much free to do that in most states," the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, Daniel Webster, said earlier this year.

"The laws aren't designed in essence to protect children from accidental shootings of this nature. There's a mindset that's fairly prevalent in the U.S. that there's nothing wrong with kids firing guns."

Thousands of people die in America yearly due to gun violence

For many Americans, holding a gun has become a sport so fun that they entertain themselves and their children through shooting. But if anyone is allowed to possess a gun, including children, what’s to stop them from barging into a stadium and firing into the crowd? It might sound outlandish but the many documented cases of mass shooting in America prove it’s not far-fetched at all.

<h2>America being treated with kid gloves as compared to Qatar</h2>

December 2, 2010 – The day Qatar was announced as host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Representatives from all 208 FIFA Member Associations at the time attended the 2010 FIFA Congress at the Haus des Sports Center in Zurich, Switzerland, as the decision to host the world for the first time in the Middle East was made.

Qatar won the bid over Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States, recording 14 votes against the United States’ eight in the final round of voting.

However, before that, the small Arab country was criticised for not having adequate facilities and being ‘too hot’ in the summer, when the tournament is usually hosted.

Nonetheless, it won the bid despite growing concerns of human rights abuses and violations.

The BBC was one of the leading Western media that highlighted Qatar's human rights record

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was “happy" the tournament was going to the Middle East but later confessed to regretting the decision.

“Qatar is a mistake,” he told the Swiss Newspaper Tages Anzeiger in November 2022. He then added that FIFA changed its rules in 2012 as Qatar’s human rights record was constantly questioned: “Since then, social considerations and human rights are taken into account.”

As the country sped up the construction of stadiums, hotels and transport systems to meet the infrastructure requirements to host the tournament, the spotlight again was on how migrant workers, who made up about 90% of the workforce according to Amnesty International, were being treated.

An Amnesty International report six months after the tournament found that many people who were hired as security officials and marshals were “still being denied justice for the abuses they suffered despite FIFA and the hosts Qatar being warned that they were especially vulnerable to exploitation and workers raising complaints and protesting about their treatment.”

Likewise, a 2023 Human Rights Watch study found that FIFA and Qatari authorities failed to compensate migrant workers for abuses such as strange deaths and wage theft.

The media, especially Western media, covered these issues extensively and some notable personalities boycotted the tournament. Not even a $1 million check could convince British musician Rod Stewart to be at the tournament. He declined the offer saying “It’s not right to go.”

There was no mention of Qatar without a follow-up question on human rights, safety of fans, and protection of LGBTQ+ people in the lead-up to the global Mundial. And rightly so.

The world was, and has been, vocal on these issues for years, accusing Qatar of sportswashing - a term used by Western media in reference to using investment in sport to cleanse a country’s bad image.

The Guardian published a dossier on the working conditions of migrant workers in Qatar

Hence, it is no coincidence that international investigative journalist Karim Zidan wrote that 2022, the same year Qatar hosted the World Cup, may have been “sportswashing’s biggest year” thus far. For FIFA president Gianni Infantino, though, the years of criticism of Qatar hosting the World Cup were simply a case of virtue signalling.

Infantino accused some countries of “hypocrisy” and “racism” and suggested they were just projecting themselves as being more morally upright. He also accused the West of double standards in highlighting Qatar’s human abuses.

Maybe Infantino was right because everyone seems to have lost their voices just two years before the next World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Despite America being plagued by troubling records of gun violence that continue to soar with each passing day, the Western Media appears to have gone mute.

The BBC ran a series of stories on Qatar’s poor treatment of migrant workers, alongside scathing headlines. The British national broadcaster would go on to boycott the World Cup opening ceremony, choosing to use the time to broadcast a mini-documentary detailing the treatment of migrant workers, corruption at FIFA and Qatar’s tough laws on homosexuality.

The Guardian also had a dossier on the subject - titled ‘Ten years of hurt: how the Guardian reported Qatar’s World Cup working conditions’ - which catalogued the 6,500 migrant workers who had died in Qatar since the World Cup was awarded to the country.

The Athletic and the New York Times even published a guide on Qatar’s human rights record, where fans were briefed on the kafala system and the death penalty under Sharia law for those found guilty of engaging in same-sex relationships.

The Athletic published a guide on Qatar's human rights infractions

Key actors of the game also called out the Arab nation, with the Australian national team leading the charge by releasing a collective statement against Qatar's human rights record.

America, on the other hand, has been spared such high levels of scrutiny despite its appalling gun violence record. No active footballer or national team has yet publicly commented on the issue, with less than two years to the next World Cup. Qatar deservedly received criticism over its poor human rights record and America’s mass shootings deserve the same global attention, if not more, due to the thousands of lives that are lost yearly via guns.

<h2>Is the US safe to host the World Cup?</h2>

Millions of people are expected to travel to the US for the 2026 World Cup, which will be the first time in the tournament’s history that it will feature 48 teams. Aside from going there to enjoy some great football, fans will also be expecting to move around freely and safely. Unfortunately, though, that cannot be guaranteed.

Gun violence has become a fixture in American society and,<a href="https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/"> according to the Gun Violence Archive</a>, there have been more than 385 mass shootings across America so far in 2024 alone. In the last four years, the US has averaged over 600 mass shootings and at least two per day.

<a href="https://www.kff.org/other/poll-finding/americans-experiences-with-gun-related-violence-injuries-and-deaths/#:~:text=The%20latest%20polling%20from%20KFF,or%20killed%20by%20a%20gun.">A KFF poll in 2023</a> showed that “a majority (54%) of U.S. adults have either personally or had a family member who has been impacted by a gun-related incident, such as witnessing a shooting, being threatened by gun, or being injured or killed by a gun.”

Also, one in five adults said “they have been threatened with a gun, while nearly as many said they have witnessed someone being shot." A small number also said they “shot a gun in self-defence.”

Data from the<a href="https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/datarequest/D157;jsessionid=A42E9669378EDE78DB1D14EE5397"> US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a> shows over 50 people are killed daily by a firearm in America. More damning is the fact that sports events have not been left out.

In February, there was a fatal shooting near a rally to celebrate the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, a 2026 World Cup host city. A mother of two was killed in the process, while 22 others were injured, half of whom were children below the age of six.

“If you argue against the regulation of firearms after seeing 10 people shot at a #SuperBowl parade, then get your brain checked to see if it works,” ex-American forward Taylor Twellman lamented on social media platform X. “And while you are at it, check the heart too. Disgraceful. Imagine when the World Cup is here, why would a visitor feel safe?!”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">If you argue against the regulation of fire arms after seeing 10 people shot at a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowl</a> parade, then get your brain checked to see if it works. And while you are at it, check the heart too. Disgraceful. Imagine when the World Cup is here why would a visitor feel safe?! <a href="https://t.co/deLMaxhEFn">https://t.co/deLMaxhEFn</a>&mdash; Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) <a href="https://twitter.com/TaylorTwellman/status/1757869538975142189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In Houston, another host city for the World Cup, a family innocently complained about a neighbour’s frequent shooting in the front yard, which was disturbing their baby’s sleep. The said neighbour's solution to the complaint was to shoot and kill five people. Complete madness!

Just a few miles away from the AT&amp;T Stadium, which is widely tipped to host the World Cup final, a gunman with an AR-15 killed eight people and wounded seven more at a mall last year. In a separate incident, another gunman fatally shot five people at a medical facility near Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium, one other venue for the World Cup.

While globally, not much noise has been made about the safety concerns, several governments, including America’s allies, are already warning their citizens against travelling to the US. The United Kingdom has advised its citizens travelling to the US to be “vigilant at all times” because gun attacks could be “indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners, crowded areas, and transportation networks.”

Australia has told its people in the US to “learn and practise active shooter drills” while Japan and New Zealand have also warned their citizens to be wary of “domestic-based extremists” in America. The German government also highlighted how “it is easy to obtain guns” in the US and said that has led to “occasional killing sprees.”

Even Canada, who are co-hosts of the next World Cup, has advised its citizens to “familiarise yourself with how to respond to an active shooter situation.”

Amnesty International has also described the rampant gun violence in the US as a<a href="https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/global-human-rights-movement-issues-travel-warning-for-the-u-s-due-to-rampant-gun-violence/"> “human rights crisis.”</a> The campaign manager for the End Gun Violence Campaign at Amnesty International USA, Ernest Coverson, accused the US government of a lack of political will to stop the menace.

The USA will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico

“Travellers to the United States should remain cautious that the country does not adequately protect people’s right to be safe, regardless of who they might be. People in the United States cannot reasonably expect to be free from harm – a guarantee of not being shot is impossible,” Coverson said.

“Once again, it is chillingly clear that the U.S. government is unwilling to ensure protection against gun violence.”

In a country where people have been shot for merely knocking on the wrong door, having a weird accent, looking foreign, or dipping their hands in their pockets to bring out their IDs, safety concerns ahead of the World Cup are justifiable. The US knows it has a gun violence problem but the country appears divided over regulating firearms.

The situation, however, remains a ticking time bomb that could finally explode during the World Cup. There have been several high-profile incidents of gun violence, with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump surviving an assassination attempt at an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania in July after his shooter missed him by a whisker. If very little has been done to check gun violence in America after these incidents, then it’s increasingly looking like nothing will change by the time the World Cup kicks off.

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy did not mince words when he declared gun violence an urgent public health crisis in June. “Over the last decade or two, this problem has been worsening and we have now reached the point where gun violence is the leading cause of death among kids and teens – the leading cause of death. That is something that we should never take as the new normal. There’s nothing normal about that,”&nbsp;Dr. Murthy told CNN in June.

“We’ve experienced so many mass shootings, so many incidents of gun violence in our neighbourhoods and communities, that it has really pervaded the psyche of our country. It has induced fear in people about regular day-to-day activities, like going to the grocery store, going to school, going to work.”

The bottom line is, the US is not a safe country and even its allies know this, hence the travel warnings to their citizens. The renowned musician and media personality Ozzy Osbourne made it public that he was relocating from the US back to the UK due to its pervasive gun violence. He told the Guardian that the gun violence in America was "f***ing crazy."

"Everything's f***ing ridiculous there. I'm fed up with people getting killed every day," the music hall of famer said. "God knows how many people have been shot in school shootings. And there was that mass shooting in Vegas at that concert.”&nbsp;

Osbourne’s wife, Sharon added: “America has changed so drastically. It isn't the United States of America at all. Nothing's united about it. It's a very weird place to live right now."

People continue to fall victim to gun violence in America on a daily basis, bringing pain and torment to their families. Kara Welsh’s family, friends and former teammates continue to reel from the pain of losing their beloved and might never get over it. Another promising basketball rookie, Aaliyah Gayles, has had to start from scratch after suffering bullet wounds at a house party in North Las Vegas.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Aaliyah Gayles fought to return to the court for <a href="https://twitter.com/USCWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USCWBB</a> after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. She is the 2024 <a href="https://twitter.com/CWSA_HondaCup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CWSA_HondaCup</a> Inspiration Award Winner. <a href="https://t.co/U3zj7PmEsK">pic.twitter.com/U3zj7PmEsK</a>&mdash; CBS Sports (@CBSSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1805390997431435710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

It was Easter and Aaliyah was at the party to celebrate with her friends when a shooting gatecrashed the event. Nine bullets were fired through her arms and legs, leaving her with 18 holes and several fractured bones.

The 20-year-old miraculously survived but the incident set her career back. Before being shot, she was a college star at USC and the first Las Vegas prospect in the last decade to be picked for the McDonald’s all-American game.

Her biggest dream was to play in the WNBA but she has spent the last two years undergoing multiple surgeries and physiotherapy. She’s resilient, though, and hasn’t given up on her dream despite the sight of bullet wounds traumatising her each time she steps in the shower or enters a changing room to dress up for training.

“These wounds are not going nowhere so I got to tell them one day why I got wounds on my legs and arms,” Aaliyah said upon her return to the court. Sadly, there’s been no breakthrough in investigations into the shooting, and the case remains unsolved, with Las Vegas police citing a lack of credible information from witnesses. Justice seems to be far from being served.

A country that boasts more guns than people is certainly not a place where the World Cup should be hosted and like Qatar’s poor human rights record, America’s alarming gun violence record deserves equally critical global attention.

World Cup: Qatar’s human rights record dominated headlines. Why’s USA rampant gun violence not getting same global attention?

Qatar were hounded and badgered over their mistreatment of migrant workers and poor human rights record in the lead up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and rightly so. But with two years to the next tournament, the world seems to have gone silent on the pervasive gun violence in the USA, a country where 385 mass shootings have been recorded in 2024 alone, with a yearly average of 44,000 deaths and 96,000 injured person by guns…

World Cup: Qatar’s human rights record dominated headlines. Why’s USA's rampant gun violence not getting same global attention?

Christopher Sededzi Kwame

First it was meant to be just a football game. And it was dangerous. And then it became scary. For close to 20 hours, Nigeria’s national team was left at the mercy of every danger possible when they were left stranded at the Al-Abraq International Airport.

The Super Eagles were supposed to land directly in the city of Benghazi, where they were scheduled to take on Libya in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier. However, with just a few klicks to their destination, Libyan authorities forced their pilot into a mid-flight diversion, and they ultimately landed in Bayda in eastern Libya.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;This is not the first time we&#39;ve had this situation.&quot; 😮 Cecilia Omorogbe explains what has happened as Nigeria’s national team have been left stranded at Libya&#39;s airport for more than 15 hours. <a href="https://t.co/cIT5X0Cumf">pic.twitter.com/cIT5X0Cumf</a>&mdash; Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1845794569750770054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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And that was how Nigeria’s overnight ordeal started, backed by Libya’s deployment of the “dark arts”.

“In aviation, we calculate fuel based on our destination. Diverting unexpectedly can compromise safety,” the pilot of Nigeria’s plane later lamented.

“I repeatedly questioned the directive and warned them about fuel limitations, but they insisted that we land at Al-Abraq, citing orders from the highest authority… I had to make a visual landing, which is risky, especially in those conditions. It was not easy, but fortunately, we landed safely.”

“Fortunate” is what Nigeria were. When the Super Eagles landed at the Al-Abraq International Airport, they were all but cut off from civility. According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), “no official of the Libyan Football Federation was at the airport to receive the delegation” and “airport officials could not answer the simple question of where the buses that would take the delegation members back to Benghazi were.”

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Good Morning Everyone!🇳🇬 The Tunisian 🇹🇳pilot that flew the <a href="https://twitter.com/flyvaluejet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@flyvaluejet</a> airline has said his side of the story . I love the way he still stuck with the super eagles 🇳🇬🇳🇬❤️ CAF should use this case to end this north African antics for good!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/superEagles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#superEagles</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CAF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CAF</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFCON?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AFCON</a> <a href="https://t.co/iXpBxe8CVW">pic.twitter.com/iXpBxe8CVW</a>&mdash; Festus Dada (@festusdada1) <a href="https://twitter.com/festusdada1/status/1846066171449143801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The NFF said they were provided with no food or water, while internet connectivity was also a challenge. Some damning photos that went viral on social media showed superstar players like Victor Boniface, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey sleeping on the benches as they were forced to spend the night at the airport without any security.

Boniface lamented on X (formerly Twitter): “Been at the airport for almost 13 hours, no food, no Wi-Fi, nowhere to sleep. Africans, we can do better.” Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong also said they had “locked the airport gates and left us without a phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.”

Victor Osimhen, who didn’t travel with the squad due to injury, also hit out at the Libyan authorities, saying his international teammates were “not criminals or prisoners” to be treated in that manner.

Ultimately, Nigeria had to boycott the game and fly back to their home country after enduring such a harsh reception from their hosts. CAF has since punished Libya for poor sportsmanship, awarding three points and three goals to the Super Eagles, and also fining the North African nation $50,000.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Captain Troost Ekong says the Super Eagles will not honor their match day 4 AFCON 2025 qualifier. <a href="https://t.co/I6SmDVNcOs">pic.twitter.com/I6SmDVNcOs</a>&mdash; Akosua Adjei (@Akosua__Adjei) <a href="https://twitter.com/Akosua__Adjei/status/1845745068390457378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Indeed, this is one of the few times that the continent’s football governing body has cracked the whip when it comes to the deployment of “dark arts” and it’s probably because Nigerians were very vocal about their “hostage” situation and made sure they drew the attention of the world to it.

<h2>Football should not be about life and death</h2>

Football is a universal language, uniting millions through a shared passion for the beautiful game. Over the decades, it has evolved dramatically, becoming an essential part of global culture and entertainment. In Africa, a continent bursting with raw football talent, players and teams continue to make strides on the world stage, captivating fans worldwide.

Yet, a disturbing undercurrent persists: “dark arts” within the sport, characterised by unsportsmanlike tactics, mistreatment of players and even voodoo. These practices tend to compromise the integrity of African football, turning what should be a celebration of talent into a cautionary tale.

The African football scene has repeatedly captured the global spotlight, with Morocco’s historic 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final run a testament to the continent's potential. However, this success is often overshadowed by the “dark arts” plaguing the sport. In recent years, allegations of fear tactics, psychological warfare and unsporting behaviour have surfaced, diminishing the game’s allure. Such incidents reflect a troubling trend, especially at a time when Africa is edging closer to its dream of World Cup victory.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Enyimba was held in an Airport for almost 2 days in 2021. When they were allowed to leave, their star striker, Tosin Omoyele, was held back on the allegation that he failed a Covid test. He stayed another 7 days in that country <a href="https://t.co/HIRjD100u4">https://t.co/HIRjD100u4</a>&mdash; Ayodeji Adegbenro (@dejigbenro) <a href="https://twitter.com/dejigbenro/status/1845802573497766109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Nigeria’s ordeal followed complaints from the Libyan squad over alleged substandard conditions before the reverse fixture in Uyo. These retaliatory actions, however, underscore an escalating tit-for-tat cycle that undermines the fundamental values of sportsmanship and mutual respect in football.

<h2>Dark arts hurt branding of the game and advertisement</h2>

This hostile environment carries far-reaching consequences beyond player well-being. In modern sports, branding is everything. Football is not only a game but a business, and in a globalised economy, image drives sponsorships, investment and fan engagement. The persistent presence of “dark arts” and unsportsmanlike conduct damages the reputation of African football, turning potential investors away.

Concerns over security and the mistreatment of visiting teams create an unwelcoming environment that sponsors and stakeholders hesitate to associate with. The result is a lack of commercial growth, widening the gap between African football and their competitors in Europe and South America.

Without the allure of stability and a positive image, Africa’s footballing leagues risk missing out on the financial benefits that stability brings, further stunting the continent’s potential for growth. Investors want predictability, not the controversy and uncertainty currently shadowing the game. The situation limits opportunities for aspiring players, creates financial hurdles for clubs and, ultimately, impedes the sport’s development.

<h2>Player safety concerns amidst quest to woo foreign-born footballers</h2>

Player safety is paramount in any sport, but in African football, it often comes under threat due to the lack of oversight in hostile environments. One of the most intense examples of this came during a World Cup qualifier in Cairo in 2009.

As the Algerian team bus approached their hotel, stones were reportedly hurled at their vehicle, injuring three players and an official. Egyptian media suggested the attack may have been staged by the Algerian camp to have the match moved, reflecting just how deeply entrenched the lack of trust is. Such incidents leave players exposed and vulnerable, threatening the very essence of football as a safe and fair game.

Africa's diaspora players have an emotional connection to the continent, with many seeing the need to represent their ancestral homeland on the international stage. However, incidents like the mistreatment of Nigeria’s Super Eagles may deter players from switching nationality in the future. These bad practices tarnish the allure of national representation and risk depriving African teams of valuable talent from the diaspora.

The “dark arts” can also strain the relationship between clubs and national teams. Clubs, who invest heavily in players’ wellbeing, are sometimes reluctant to release them for international duty due to concerns over workload, safety and burnout.

African players, who value the opportunity to represent their countries, may be willing to endure physical strain and travel for international assignments but the unsavoury aspects of the game in Africa could deter clubs from releasing them.

CAF has set a good example by slapping Libya with a fine and causing them to forfeit their game against Nigeria. To completely root out the dark arts from the African game, though, such tough punishments need to become customary to deter others from repeating the same.

Mistreatment of away teams in the African game is gradually growing roots and the ordeal faced by Nigeria in Libya not only casts a shadow on African football but also highlights a pressing issue that could turn fatal to players if not checked…

Nigeria’s ‘hostage’ situation in Libya typifies why Africa must stand up to dark arts problem

The first time he was anywhere near noticeable was after the warm-up sessions when the balls were randomly kicked into the stands and he was among the lucky ones in the stands to have caught a ball.

It would turn out that this man was there as a scout and, even more revealing, was that he is Bojan Krkic Sr, the father of former Spain and Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic.

There was so much happening all at once when Norway and Greece faced off in Group B’s opening game at the <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/sports/football/spain-vs-england-kobbie-mainoo-sets-sights-on-winning-euro-2024/g0gp0sp">UEFA U19 Championship</a> in Malta last year.

Bojan Krkic Sr previously worked as a scout at FC Barcelona

<h2>Bojan Krkic Sr was at the U19 Euros to scout for talent</h2>

A nine-goal thriller, this was the archetypal crazy game. The biggest talking point centred on how Norway raced into a comfortable 5-0 lead in the first half, only to end the game rattled, tense and biting their nails after a second-half blitz that saw Greece nearly rally their way back with four unanswered goals to close that match at 5-4.

But the subplots of the match were equally as interesting. There were surprisingly a number of Italian officials present to observe the game despite not being in the same group with either team - The Azzurrini would go on to be crowned champions after beating Portugal in the final. There was also the pre-match comic scene, which saw fans and journalists running from the water being splashed their way by the unemotive sprinklers on the pitch.

All the above were, however, not enough to stop anyone attentive enough from spotting something distinctive about the man in white. It’s the way he sat, legs crossed with purpose. The way he observed, eyes fixed on the action. And the way he wrote, pen connecting the dots.

“I’m here as a scout for Adidas,” Bojan Sr said, pleasantly smiling after realising he was about to receive the celebrity treatment following the big reveal of who he was.

Bojan Krkic Sr with Pulse Sports' Emmanuel Ayamga

Bojan Sr was born in Yugoslavia and was a professional footballer for much of his youth. As a midfielder, he lined up for several clubs across present-day Serbia, including OFK Beograd, Rijeka and Radnicki Nis.

<h2>What scouts look out for in various positions</h2>

Once he retired, though, Bojan Sr immediately ventured into the world of scouting. It’s no surprise that his son was one of the most highly-rated players at youth level when he was coming through at Barcelona and Spain.

“I worked as a scout at Barcelona for 15 years,” said Bojan Sr, who has also scouted players for several clubs across different continents. “A good player generally has to have talent. Without talent, you can’t make it as a professional player. Then there are other things.”

Shedding light on what makes a good player, Bojan Sr offers a lecture on positional play and takes a deep dive into what is required to excel in each position on the pitch.

On defenders, he notes that the player must be “intentional, physical, have good positioning. He must also have height, speed and be technical.”

For a man who played at the highest level and also played a key role in raising his son to become a professional footballer, Bojan Sr has developed an eye for spotting talents and it stems from years of travelling around the world on scouting missions.&nbsp;And as a former midfielder himself, it’s a position that he holds very dear.

“A midfielder should be productive, fast, creative,” Bojan Sr underlines, while switching just in time to see the goal that begins Iceland’s fightback against Norway. “Tactically and technically, he must be purposeful with the ball. It’s not enough to dribble and not end with a goal or assist. Productivity is key.”

Bojan Sr is more unforgiving with his take on the attributes of a good striker. “You need to have talent, personality, attitude, be smart and score goals. A striker who has some of the mentioned attributes but can’t score goals is a no!” he states categorically.

The UEFA U19 Championship has produced many players in the past who have gone on to enjoy impressive professional careers, with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland being the most recent reference points.

Bojan Sr and other scouts who were in Malta were hoping to spot the next generation of superstars for the outfits they work for and, based on how the tournament turned out, it’s only fair to conclude that they were spoilt for choices.

Meanwhile, Bojan Sr has an ongoing deal with a Ghanaian club but requested for the club not to be named due to a confidential clause in their agreement.

Bojan Krkic Sr talks about scouting and what it takes to succeed as a pro footballer

“I worked as a scout at Barcelona for 15 years. A good player generally has to have talent. Without talent, you can’t make it as a professional player. Then there are other things" - Bojan Krkic Sr.

‘Talent is not enough’ – Scouting through the experienced lens of Bojan Krkic Sr

“Aaaah, not him!” A frustrated Fabio Capello soliloquised as he turned to his bench. It was a reaction borne out of premonition rather than surprise. Asamoah Gyan had done it again, this time scoring a world-class equaliser in stoppage time to raise the decibel levels inside the Wembley Stadium – among the colourful, noisy visiting fans.

Until that moment of individual magic, England had seemed destined for victory after Andy Carroll’s brutish first-half finish gave them a prized lead, and they probably would’ve won against any other team. The problem, though, was that the Three Lions were facing a Ghana side that had Gyan, a player who was at the peak of his powers.

Asamoah Gyan celebrates after scoring against England in friendly

Oh, Asamoah was pumped that day. Making his way into Wembley, the Ghana striker carried on his shoulder a ghetto blaster that filled the area around the visiting team’s dressing room with Afrobeat music. Smiling and lip-synching to the deafening sound, he looked the part of a warrior unfazed by the battle ahead. Later that night, in front of over 80,000 fans, he would elevate himself to celestial heights.

It didn’t even matter which side those supporters had come to see; when Gyan dazzled his way past a sea of English bodies, leaving James Milner static at the edge of the box and bamboozling Joleon Lescott twice – first with a feint and again with his quick feet – the entire stadium froze, anticipation briskly replacing mystification. And when Gyan dropped the shoulder, clipping a composed finish beyond the outstretched Joe Hart in post, Wembley erupted.

It was a brilliant solo goal and another addition to the Ghanaian’s collection of clutch strikes. And though Wembley is not noted for rooting for opposition players, the applause for Gyan when his game was done was in unison, in a match that was probably too competitive for an international friendly.

It is for such regular standout exploits that anytime Gyan dons the national team jersey, Ghanaians herald him as the Baby Jet.

To Asamoah’s own credit, he has had many such memorable moments in his illustrious career; moments that leave the opponent stupefied and fans awe-struck. From the bustle of Accra to the humid climates of Udine and the picturesque skylines of Rennes, to the water-bordered towns of South Tyneside and the greenness of Al Ain, Gyan made sure to sprinkle his stardust in every city he graced.

A man of goals and controversies, very few players divide opinions like Baby Jet. Even as a kid growing up in the suburbs of Ghana’s capital, Accra, Gyan puzzled his teachers as much as he would opposition defenders later in life.

As the story goes, a teacher once asked her pupils what each would like to become in future. Some mentioned doctors and lawyers, others opted for engineering and piloting. A few chose banking and even fewer – to the teacher’s chagrin – ticked teaching. One boy seated in the corner of the classroom wasn’t impressed with the answers, though.

“Come on, tell us,” the teacher pressed. The answer that followed, in an assertive tone, wasn't quite what anyone expected. “I want to be a footballer and play for the national team and score many goals like [the Brazilian] Ronaldo."

Asamoah Gyan (far left) in the Accra Academy School team

The other pupils burst into laughter, unable to reconcile their mate’s dreams with the fluorescent career of O Fenomeno, who, only a few years earlier, had been named FIFA World Player of the Year at the age of 20.

That boy, a young Gyan, already knew the world belonged to him. In his autobiography, LeGyanDary, he wrote: “Whenever my friends and I watched a football game and the national team came up in conversation, I’d often prophesy that I would play in the national team one day. That I would take Ghana to the World Cup.

“My comments usually sparked more laughter because even Ghana’s best international players had tried so hard and failed to achieve that feat.”

Gyan would, however, go on to prove his incredulous and amused classmates and friends wrong in some style.

Asamoah Gyan's talent attracted interest from scouts while leading the Accra Academy School team

He effortlessly mastered the art of rising to the occasion and scoring headline-grabbing, history-making goals. So much so that, just shy of an 18-month period, between 2010 and 2012, he was arguably the best player in Africa and one of the top five forwards in the world.

That purple patch saw him scoop the BBC African Footballer of the Year award, also landing a Ballon d’Or nomination that eventually saw him finish ahead of the treble-winning Julio Cesar, World Cup-winning Cesc Fabregas, German duo Philipp Lahm and Miroslav Klose, and Brazil’s Daniel Alves in the final ranking.

For all his unwavering self-belief, though, not even Gyan would have deemed such lofty feats attainable; but, then again, everything he does on the pitch and has achieved is a reflection of his experiences.

Asanoah Gyan with his 2010 BBC African Footballer of the Year award, with Steve Bruce

Born to a mother who was an educationist, Gyan’s eagerness to lecture his colleagues about new skills was unmistakable; fathered by a businessman, making the most of opportunities came naturally to him.

More than anything else, though, Gyan was that happy kid who just wanted to have fun. On the half-dusty, half-rocky pitches of Gbawe in Accra, where he first laced his boots to kick a ball, he was usually more motivated to entertain those who gathered to watch him than he was to actually score goals.

Indeed, if there was any threat to his development into the great striker Gyan would become, it was this tendency to overindulge in fancy stuff. While still an amateur, Gyan was dropped by his coach for showboating and playing to the gallery.

Frustrated to be left on the bench in the next game and after watching his teammates struggle and concede first, he begged to come on. He ended up bagging four goals in the second half to earn his side a 4-1 win. More than just his singlehanded heroics, this time, he learned a lesson about collective play.

Asamoah Gyan is currently Ghana's all-time top scorer with 51 goals

“It was at this critical point that I began to learn the ropes of football team culture: how to be a team player, leadership skills, respect for teammates and officials, conflict resolution, how to respond to coaches, comportment on and off the field… the whole nine yards,” Gyan wrote in his autobiography, LeGyanDary.

UK Babies (they have no connection to the United Kingdom) – an Under-10 colts team – were Gyan’s first club. Even at such a young age, his talent was telling. He became the face of the team and with each impressive performance, he won over more fans within and outside the neighbourhood. In his oversized jersey, Gyan captivated everyone who watched him play and became some sort of a local superstar.

At UK Babies, Gyan was mainly a utility player and was usually deployed at left-back and sometimes on the flanks. The one thing the coaches there failed to properly spot, though, was his eye for goal and, it wasn’t until he swapped the club for another called Mighty Victory, that he was fully converted into a striker.

Before his life-changing move to Liberty Professionals in 2003, Asamoah was a student at Accra Academy, the high school where his footballing potential was first taken seriously.

Asamoah Gyan helped Ghana to qualify for their first-ever World Cup in 2006

Under the tutelage of sports master and professional football coach J.E. Sarpong, he would blossom into the school’s top striker. But his talent came with its baggage; excesses that needed to be checked if he was to fulfil his enormous potential.

Sometimes, he came across as overconfident and petulant because he was clearly better than his playmates. Once he managed to cut those excesses out of his game and his personality, however, with the help of Sarpong’s tough love, Gyan blossomed into the best version of himself and was well on his way to the top.

When he signed his first professional contract with Liberty as a teenager, everyone already knew the name Gyan. But it wasn’t Asamoah’s that they were accustomed to, it was Baffour’s, his senior brother, who was already a regular with the national team. Back in school, many referred to him as “Baffour's brother”. Determined to make his own name, Baby Jet took his chance.

A loan spell to second-tier side Stay Cool FC presented the perfect opportunity for Gyan to prove his worth. Goal after goal, his reputation burgeoned, and it quickly became evident that his talent deserved a bigger stage.

Gyan returned to Liberty as a more mature finisher. His goals powered the club to a fourth-place finish in the Ghana Premier League, earning him a senior national team call-up at 17, where he scored twice on his debut against Somalia at the start of Ghana's quest to reach a maiden FIFA World Cup. And although he departed for Udinese midway through that debut season, Gyan's 10 goals in 16 matches would see him finish as runner-up in the race for the league's golden boot – just three shy of eventual top-scorer Shaibu Yakubu.

Gyan’s move to Serie A may have come at the right time but, at 18 and being separated from his family, adapting to the weather and culture of another country was always going to be challenging. Still very much a kid, scrawny and all, Gyan struggled to settle into his new surroundings and saw just six minutes of action for Le Zebrette in the 2003/04 season.

For Ghana, however, Gyan was still very key, starring in the country's qualification for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and impressing at the competition proper.

Asamoah Gyan and Udinese strike partner Antonio Di Natale

Back at Udinese, Gyan was clearly not satisfied with sitting on the bench, so when Serie B side Modena offered a temporary escape, he jumped at it.

There, in the city of balsamic vinegar and rich opera heritage, Gyan would regain his mojo, scoring seven goals in his first season. He'd be forced to stay at Modena for one more year, as Antonio Di Natale’s form meant there was still no vacancy upfront at Udinese.

Eight goals in 25 matches later, however, Gyan was now ready to return to Udinese as a starter ahead of the 2006/07 campaign. He would also take his form into that summer’s World Cup in Germany, helping Ghana to reach the round of 16 in their debut appearance.

Gyan had finally realised his childhood dream of playing in a World Cup with Ghana but that was not without entering his name into his country’s folklore for mixed reasons, with a number of firsts. Typical of the Jekyll and Hyde anecdote that Gyan’s whole career became known for, he scored Ghana’s first-ever World Cup goal, became his country’s first player to miss a penalty in the tournament and was also the first Ghanaian player to be sent off at the Mundial.

Asamoah Gyan scored Ghana's first-ever goal at the World Cup in a 2-0 victory over Czech Republic

Gyan returned to Udinese after the 2006 World Cup with a load of experience, exposure and expectations. Trusted by Giovanni Galeone in a two-top system, Asamoah repaid his manager’s faith with eight goals and three assists in his first full Serie A season. He formed a formidable partnership with the more experienced Di Natale, a master-and-apprentice combo that the Friulani adored.

But a serious knee injury to Gyan would break up that exciting double act, restricting him to just 13 appearances and three goals the following season. Unable to reclaim his position in the team after recovering from injury, Gyan would spend the next two years at Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes, where he scored a then career-best of 13 league goals in the 2009/10 season.

The sight of Gyan wheeling away after making the net bulge and turning many football grounds into dance floors became his calling card, and the world couldn't get enough of it in 2010, his annus mirabilis.

That was the year in which Gyan announced himself as Ghana's man for the big occasion, unlocking that elite temperament that saw him prove influential as the West Africans pursued objectives at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the World Cup.

Asamoah Gyan wheels away after scoring against Portugal at the 2014 World Cup

Like a man possessed, he completely dominated both tournaments, singlehandedly deciding games and bearing the hopes of millions of Ghanaians and Africans.

Ghana headed for the AFCON in January 2010 with a depleted squad. The Black Stars were without captains Stephen Appiah and John Mensah due to injuries, while Inter Milan’s Sulley Muntari was dropped over disciplinary issues.

Chelsea’s Michael Essien came along for that trip to Angola, only to be ruled out for the rest of the tournament by a serious knee injury suffered in Ghana’s opening group game against Ivory Coast.

The mantle, then, fell to Gyan to lead the team. At just 24, it was a huge responsibility but he carried it out with passion, grit and aura. Throughout Gyan's career, it was in such moments of despair that he often channelled his inner ‘Avenger’ hegemon to inspire belief among his compatriots.

After making a slow start to the tournament, scoring just once in the group stages, Gyan truly flew into Superman mode during the knockout rounds.

If the youthfulness of Ghana's squad and the general lack of characters going into the tournament appeared to count against the Black Stars, the compact unit into which Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac fashioned the elements at his disposal was the group's main strength.

The Black Stars were notoriously stingy in defence but smart enough to hurt their opponents at the other end, thanks to Gyan’s prolificacy, with any chance that came their way.

Ghana never scored more than one goal in any of their matches en route to making the final – the 'one-goal project', it was called – and much of that game plan hinged on the presence of Gyan, a striker adept at adapting to adversity.

In the quarterfinals against hosts Angola, with chances at a premium and Ghana largely playing on the back foot, it was Asamoah’s 15th-minute strike that ultimately separated the two teams. The striker reprised his match-winning role in the semi-final against sub-regional rivals Nigeria, scoring with a towering header to clip the wings of the Super Eagles.

The final, too, was decided by a lone goal, this time scored by an Egypt side that jetted off to Cairo with a third successive title, rendering Ghana’s smash-and-grab tactics and Gyan’s one-man heroics inadequate for once.

Asamoah Gyan was born premature and had to prove himself several times before finally making his breakthrough. And once he did, he never looked back, rising to become Ghana’s all-time top scorer…

Emmanuel Ayamga

Articles written by the author

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