BELMOPAN, Tues. Dec. 14, 2010
“Daren Swasey” <[email protected]>
Gents,
I write simply as a football fan who is sick and tired of the stagnant nature of football in our country.
This last weekend, I really don’t want to say “I told you so” to my friends, but I couldn’t resist saying that I am not surprised that Dr. Chimilio has pulled another rabbit out of the hat, and seemingly has managed to JACK yet another term as FIFA Belize President! ….this, even BEFORE the election has even been held!!
It seems that, all past efforts to the contrary, nothing will change for the next few years in Belizean football, and we are destined for even more of the same bitter pill.
…If, in the past, our other football heavyweights have not been able to unseat him and make a change, and the players seem to be either impotent or incompetent at organizing and trying to make change for the sport, then it falls to the relevant Government Representative/Minister to exert the kind of LONG TERM, CONTINUOUS pressure on the good Doctor to relinquish the reins of FIFA Belize. Unfortunately, the cynicism built up in me by the inability of the powers that be to do good by the people in other areas of day to day life, leads me to believe that the Ministry of Sports lacks the testicular fortitude to do anything more solid than the saber rattling it is currently engaged in!!!
Except for allowing the President to live the life of the rich and famous; …jetting off to Houston, Mexico City, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa every now and then, FIFA Belize hasn’t made any developmental advances for football in the last decade and a half or so under the doctor, and I suppose I must resign myself to it NEVER CHANGING!!!!
A very respected football veteran asked me this week if I have ever considered that maybe this situation is not really just a reflection on Bertie but more so a reflection on us as a people! …He illustrates this by pointing to the situation with the Olympic Committee who have not held elections in YEARS! Then there’s the unwillingness of the last administration to run with the ball when they were presented with the opportunity to make serious changes in FIFA Belize. His final comment is that he cannot be sure if this current administration understands what they are undertaking. Unseating the corruption (from top to bottom) that permeates this sport is no easy task!!
His comments go straight to the heart of the problems in Belize football and I certainly agree with them. I have long held that our country’s societal problems stem from a streak of rottenness, immorality and corruption embedded in its spine! ….This is also mirrored in our football community as well as many other sections of life in Belize. For this reason, I suspect that trimming the “scorn the earth” weed from off the football tree may not be enough, and we may really have to uproot the entire tree and start fresh! (sounds about right for the other problematic areas of Belizean life as well!)
If this is true, as my friend said, it will be no easy task, to say the least, and in the face of my seemingly overwhelming cynicism and disenchantment, I am STILL holding on to a very slim hope that my son, or my neighbor’s son, or anyone’s son, may in a few years down the road, be able to benefit from a viable football organization that will provide them the opportunity to realize their full potential! … Is this too much to ask for? … that our kids are provided with a nurturing sporting structure, so that they may be able to discover the existence or nonexistence of ability, talent, discipline in a particular sport?
Deep down, I sincerely hope that events will prove my cynicism as misplaced, and find that it isn’t too much to ask for! If not, then all we can expect is to hear about the next all expenses paid trip to ….South Africa ’14 is it?!?! ……I guess we’ll find out, won’t we!
Signed: Daren D. Swasey
Belmopan