Duro Ikhazuagbe
After seeing the world-class facilities put in place by Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup, Dr Toure Bourama is sad that his country, Côte d’Ivoire, will not be on parade when the mundial kicks off on November 20.
Côte d’Ivoire needed just a draw result to reach the final playoff stage of the race to the World Cup in Qatar but sadly were beaten 1-0 by Cameroon. And so, the Elephants who played in previous editions in 2006, 2010 and 2014 will miss the first World Cup in the Middle East.
Same way they missed the last edition in Russia four years ago.
But the reality of the Ivoriens missing out was rubbed into Dr Bourama’s consciousness when he watched Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal take on Egypt’s Zamalek in the Lusail Super Cup in the last test game on the Lusail Stadium before the main dish is served in November.
“It is very painful, really. We in Côte d’Ivoire cannot really fathom how we will have a team that had Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and several other top stars in the past and will not be at the World Cup in Qatar.
“A lot of other fans asked me where I’m from during that match between Zamalek and Saudi’s Al Hilal and I told them that I am Côte d’Ivoire. For others , I simply tell them that I am from Drogba or Yaya Toure’s country. I saw the excitement on their faces, knowing I come from a great football nation. They then say that they are expecting me to come back for the World Cup for my country. But when I told them that we didn’t qualify for Qatar 2022, they were all shocked. This is the sad reality for us back home,” observed Bourama, who is the Technical Adviser to the Chairman of the Cocoa Board in that west African country.
He admitted that Elephants missed the cut to Qatar because of the terrible game they played against Cameroon en-route the final playoffs stage.
“That game against Cameroon where we needed just a draw to proceed to the final round was terrible. We were not at our best and so lost instead of getting the much needed draw.”
Despite Côte d’Ivoire not in Qatar, Bourama promised to back all the five representatives from the continent when the party begins in November.
“We will be rooting for all the five teams from Africa. My wish is for Africa to at least get to the last four for the first time. Thereafter, anything can happen.”
Bourama is particularly excited with the facilities that Qatar has provided to host the World Cup.
“Qatar is ready to host a beautiful World Cup. From what we saw here in the Lusail Stadium in the match between Zamalek and Al Hilal, it is obvious that the world will be treated to a spectacle like never before with these world-class facilities spread over the country.”
He described the infrastructure put in place to host the mundial as breathtaking. “These are amongst the very best you can find anywhere in the world and the people are warm and ready to receive fans and visitors coming for the tournament in November through December.”
Bourama, whose country Côte d’Ivoire will be hosting the next AFCON 2023 (now moved to January 2024), urged African countries to learn a lesson from what the Qataris have done with their country.
“Corruption is the problem we have in Africa. Administration of sports generally in Africa is shrouded in corruption which is reason we have not been able to reach our full potentials of ruling the world. Qatar have voted money for facilities and used them wisely for the betterment of their people. See the stadiums, metro, roads and hotels and other infrastructure they have provided within the short period (2010) when they won the bid to host the world.”
He wonders why some governments in Africa will provide money to pay players bonuses and allowances for instance and you begin to hear players going on strike, refusing to train before crucial matches simply because some officials have sat on the money provided by government and nothing is done to such officials.
“In Europe and USA, the justice system is top notch. There is punishment for any crime committed. We have to learn to begin to wield the big stick to getting things done, properly.
“The organization is the bane of our football and other sports. If we get the organisation right, Africa have the skillful talents to win the World Cup. We have qualified coaches but sadly, some persons, not the coaches are the ones trying to do the job of coaches. Things don’t flourish in such environments. Why hire the coach if you know you can be the coach and president of the federations at the same time?” queried Bourama on one of the major problems plaguing most federations in the continent.
Instead of the constant hire and fire of coaches, Bourama insisted that stability is key in getting a team to evolve properly.
“Why this constant sacking of coaches when they fail in a tournament? Why not leave such coaches so that they can learn from their mistakes?” he suggested.
On the AFCON 2023 his country will be hosting in January 2024, Bourama confirmed Côte d’Ivoire is ready. “pMost of our stadiums are ready and only need finishing touches. The shift will further ensure we are fully set to host. The government is not sparing anything to ensure we host the best AFCON ever in Abidjan.
