Beyond the reach of FIFA: football and community ‘development’ in rural South Africa,towards a politics of inclusion and sustainability |
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| Authors: | Andrea Giampiccoli |
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| Institution: | Hospitality and Tourism Department (Ritson Campus), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | The real legacy of the 2010 World Cup is that people in the focus areas of Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg–Tshwane may have received some benefit from infrastructural development while much of the rest of South Africa has fallen further behind those globally projecting conurbations. Though the literature on sport and community development is growing rapidly as is work on legacy and mega events, there are few studies that examine initiatives generated within local communities, particularly those located well away from the activities of international sport development agencies. In this paper, we examine a village football team in rural Mpondoland in the far reaches of the Eastern Cape located well away from the impact of World Cup football-related initiatives. We also explore activities of international sport development agencies. We examine the motivations of the players, the community role that football plays and how community-generated initiatives might be supported and nurtured with full involvement and democratic decision-making practices embedded into the operation of local sporting groups. Understanding the hurdles faced in resource-strapped communities will enhance discussion of the ways in which sporting development can be supported rather than imposed and become sustainable in the future. |
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