Stories about Sport from June, 2010
Cuba: Breathing the World Cup
“In Cuba, with a lack of good sporting events, we eagerly await the Cup”: Iván's File Cabinet blogs about his World Cup picks.
Zimbabwe: Women not getting attention because of World Cup
Women in Zimbabwe are complaining that men don’t want to watch FIFA World Cup games at home where there is not much noise and support, let alone beer.
South Africa: Don't forget Mbeki and De Klerk
Mike Trapido argues that two men who made FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa possible have been largely overlooked:”They are two of our former presidents, Thabo Mbeki and Frederik Willem de Klerk.”
South Africa: Bafana Bafana owes us an explanation
Common Dialogue discusses Bafana Bafana's 3-0 loss to Uruguay in FIFA World Cup: “The fact of the matter is South Africa played like they had just dsicovered the game of football – take nothing away from Uruguay though.”
Chile: Curicó Celebrates Triumph Against Honduras
Vivimos la Noticia [es], a local blog from Curicó, Chile, posted photos of Chilean fans celebrating their team's debut in the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Honduras, winning 1-0.
Netherlands: Two women arrested at World Cup for promoting wrong beer
Two Dutch women working for Netherlands beer company Bavaria were arrested for promoting a beer that is not an official World Cup sponsor during the World Cup Netherlands-Denmark match in South Africa on Monday. The Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs defended them on Twitter.
Mexico: Ready to Play France
Mexico kicked off the 2010 FIFA World Cup playing against South Africa; the result was a draw, 1-1. Mexico's next rival is France, and Twitter users are using the micro-blogging platform to voice their expectations and hopes for the challenging but surely exciting match.
South Africa: Tonight, it's not just a game
Bafana Bafana take on Uruguay tonight in their second Group A clash in FIFA 2010 World Cup. Bloggers as well as South African citizens are saying that the clash tonight is not just a game. June 16 is a special day for South Africa. It is Youth Day, which commemorates the Soweto Uprising that took place in 1976. It is also Zakumi's birthday.
Japan: A World Cup without Nakamura?
Gaki_tsutomu comments [ja] on the absence of midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura from the match [en] that saw Japanese team win 1-0 over Cameroon. The blogger wonders if the player will be relegated to the bench also in the next matches and analyzes coach Okada's strategy.
Guatemala: Beauty Pageant Includes “Foot Bool” Float
San Pedro de Las Huertas, Guatemala is recovering from storm Agatha; they recently celebrated their annual beauty pageant with a float dedicated to football. AntiaguaDailyPhoto includes photos of the event and writes: “Foot Bool with the African spelling is how the people of San Pedro Las Huertas want to let everyone know that...
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Viva the Vuvuzela
Abeni remembers when the ICC Cricket World Cup came to the Caribbean: “The conch shells, bugles, horns, drums etc which were integral to the Caribbean cricketing experience [were no longer] allowed” – which is why she declares, “Viva the vuvuzela!”
Greece: World Cup-Mania Provides Respite from Financial Crisis
Despite the dire financial crisis unfolding in Greece, many Greeks have taken to the 'social media World Cup' with gusto - perhaps hoping for a repeat of the amazing and uplifting victory in the Euro 2004 championship.
Algeria: Disappointment and Anger After the Defeat against Slovenia
After a 24 years long wait, Algerians have focused their attentions on the world cup, hoping to escape the grind of their daily lives. The disappointment was all the more profound after the defeat of their team against Slovenia.
Ghana: Bloggers celebrate Ghana's victory over Serbia
The Ghana national football team, the Black Stars, became the first African team on Sunday win a match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup after beating Serbia. Ghanaian bloggers are celebrating this historic win.
Brazil: Soccer Dream Team Murals for the World Cup
During the first day of the World Cup, a group of 12 urban artists painted a wall of 240 m2 in the city of Rio de Janeiro featuring what they believe to be the Brazilian soccer dream team. The result may be seen at the event's blog “Grafite Futebol Arte”...
Myanmar: No power shortage during World Cup broadcast
Myanmar football fans are happy to discover that power supply seems stable during the TV broadcast of World Cup games.
South Africa: The Vuvuzela World Cup Debate
Days into the 2010 World Cup, the vuvuzela debate continues by those criticizing and defending the use of the instrument at games, as well as those who make light of those who complain.
Global: Tweeting the USA/England Match
The Twittersphere was abuzz during the USA/England #worldcup match on June 12. The game was highly anticipated in the United States, where TV ads touted it as the "most anticipated" match of the World Cup, whereas in England, fans were nearly certain their team would win.
Brazil: The “CALA BOCA GALVAO” Phenomenon
Millions of twitter users told Galvão Bueno, a famous Brazilian narrator and broadcaster, to shut up: a phenomenon that soon became a worldwide joke.
Macedonia: Gender Aspects of the Football World Cup
Young Macedonian blogger and writer thinks that focus on defense combined with propagation of gender stereotypes make the Football World Cup unattractive.
South Africa: Soccer and Social Change
Lisa Kays, writing for GlobalGoodness, tackles the role of playing soccer/football in promoting social change in Africa.
