Sports and Revolution

Fields of no dreams have destroyed the lives of aspirants to sports that have recently taken on more international character. The story of Cambodian tennis is interesting because sports has served such a significant role in the development of the character of individuals, served to appease the competitive drive and allowed for the display of mastery and discipline simultaneously.  Imagine if all sports were eradicated from a country like the United States with revolution taking the country by storm. Imagine the sudden non-existence of the prized baseball game and American Football.  What of Europe, where the peradventure to sport is significant to the overlay of socialization, business and the integrally cultural need to exercise.  Well, Cambodia experienced this.

One of the top tennis players of the 1970's recounted the massacring of the top players in the country at a time when tennis was becoming more and more open with winners such as Arthur Ashe and Evonne Goolagong-Cawley. Having to quit the game and work in the fields while taking up football was an interesting tactic. The Khmer Rouge's ascension in 1975 prompted the desolution and destruction of anything Western, including changing concepts of agricultural practice and dismantling of certain structures.  The killing of minorities including the Cham Muslims featured as the heaviest human desecration. Intellectualism was seen as evil and associated symbols eradicated. Many ethnic Chinese were driven out.  The recent ascension to the Davis Cup through participation in a 'tie' and the possession of a ranked player on the ATP tour are signs that Cambodia is attempting to challenge their fighting spirit through clean and clear competition. The business class and younger Cambodians (including internet users) have taken to speaking English because of the large influx of English speaking tourists. With the rising star of Bun Kenny it is hoped that Cambodia's tennis fortunes can rise from the Ashes. (http://tinyurl.com/c2ou8zs).

Many African countries have had events cancelled and teams pulled out of competition because of revolutionary factions. Togo had to pull out due to a bus attack, which resulted in the deaths of the goal keeper, assistant coach and press officer. Emmanuel Adebayor, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, was on the bus and as a contracted member of a top English Premier League Football Club, much investment had been placed in him that had serious potential financial consequences for a club that is situated in a slow-growth area that featured prominently in the 2011 riots (http://tinyurl.com/6w2bjrp).

For what reason would a gentleman jump into the Thames in order the protest prompting officials to take a deeper look at security for the upcoming Olympics?  The after-thought by one spectator was that the interruption left the race unfinished. This was after an excellent media campaign particularly on the part of Oxford to show how difficult it is to be dedicated to such a dynastic battle.  The quieter in outside publicity, the better, I think.  As the London 2012 Olympics approach, where the escalated budget has been juxtaposed with readiness of many facilities and resumption of practice by national and international athletes well before the start of the games, security is obviously a concern.  The influx of visitors who are not used to the old-world charm remains a challenge to be seen and hopefully, protests will be made in the planning boardroom and not in the streets.  The protest against elitism from an LSE graduate named Oldfield is interesting, although one name Oldguard would have been better, especially as one rower described it as the culmination of his career.  A case of tiny revolution against the aristocracy, which he names at length in his blog, caused unusual headlines about a prestigious competition sometimes sleepily-perceived outside of the United Kingdom (http://tinyurl.com/csyzc9a).  

Simply put, sporting events can be the highlight of one's week in a world that can be filled be stresses of expectation, a need to drive growth and commerce as well as consequential and needfully repetitious example of the will to win.  The masses need alliances. In a world which is not overtly characterized by 'phased wars', the battlefield is sports and may the best man/woman/team win.


101 days to go to the next Revolution July 27-August 12!


Side Note:
Congrats to Dr. Jim Yong Kim, named 12th President of the World Bank on the 16th of April 2012. Hefty mathematics for someone who has dealt with youth as former president of Darthmouth College. (16-4=12 & 16+4 = 20  - nice nerdy appointment math). The sport of fencing applies in this case as the students of Darthmouth took to breakdancing to say to the medical doctor (not economist doctor) 'Let the force be with you!'