Witchcraft in African football: common practice? Some acts

On January 18, a couple of days after losing 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea in their second match in the African Cup, Algeria was involved in a controversyafter the press in Cameroon, host of the tournament, mentioned that a sorcerer had entered the concentration hotel of the Algerians to perform an exorcism.

Although the fact was denied by the North African National Team, it ended up feed the belief that esoteric rituals are performed in football on that continent, although cabalistic practices are not exclusive to that football region of the planet.

Just as Algeria was singled out this time, in 2012 the Ghana coach, Goran Stevanovic accused his players of “witchcraft” and thereby cause poor results, while in 2002 Thomas N’kono left in handcuffs of the concentration of Cameroon accused of carrying out “black magic”in some of the cases that came to light.

THE MEXICAN DIEGO FRANCO RELATES HIS EXPERIENCES

Formed in the quarry of Blue Cross Y debutant in the First Division thanks to coach Guillermo Vázquez At the Clausura 2013, Diego Franco embarked on an adventure that took him to Costa Rica, Spain and for three years to South Africawhere he has seen many of these rituals firsthand.

“Suddenly Yes, I have had different situations that are very different than we are used to in Mexico”, he commented in an interview with Mediotiempo from the African country.

Today Steenberg United player from Cape Town in the South African Second Division, where he claims to earn enough to have a good life, the winger born in the country’s capital in 1992 detailed some of his experiences, which range from see how their teammates or rivals enter between chants to the field to look at players sprinkling salt on playing fieldssituations that went from causing him astonishment to being something habitual.

“There are certain cultures, certain players, who they do this kind of witchcraft that they know as ‘muti’. They have different things: they hang charms around the waist, they have markings on the chest. There are players who carry a bag of salt and before starting the match, when the recognition is done, they sprinkle it on the pitch”, described Franco.

“I had to see how they took some leaves like bamboo and began to burn them in the dressing room, suddenly a smoke came out; They were singing around, it seemed like a ritual, I would go to the edge and just pray that it wouldn’t touch me”.

REFLECTION OF BLACK CULTURE

As if the sports surprises were only a consequence of magic, the Malawi National Team was also singled out this weekend for allegedly have a sorcerer with prop record. However, the Federation of that country itself clarified that this character is called Richard Justin, and that he is precisely the one is in charge of having the uniforms ready in the dressing room of that representative.

In this regard, the striker of said team, Gabadinho Mhango, suggested that whoever claimed that the prop was a witch he could well have said that his statements were part of a jokealthough it would not be fun for the players in his squad.

In any case, Franco explains that this is part of the African player’s way of life, especially those of black roots, whom he described as “very devoted” to these practices. In the case of South African football it is something that everyone knows, but nobody talks about it, although they do not know why it is so.

“Perhaps like they do in New Zealand, to intimidate the rival. I saw them sing and said ‘these are not serious’, but it is part of their motivation. But he is not just one, it is the entire squad, the coach and certain directors, ”said the player, already accustomed to rituals, songs and gestures typical of Africa.