SOUTH African soccer has advanced through decades of denial and disadvantage, through the struggle, to where it is now recognised as the country’s number one national sport.

It has the largest number of registered players (about 1,8 million), the biggest television audience, the largest number of spectators as compared to other sporting codes and massive amounts of capital pumped into football.

Since the formation of the united South African Football Association in 1991, soccer has made immense strides which culminated in the establishment of a strong infrastructure to capture and channel the people’s historic passion for the game. This vision saw football emerging from the days of oppression into the golden era of glory and prosperity.

During the past 18 years, South Africa has established itself as a positive, constructive member of the soccer family, entering teams in every CAF and Fifa competition, from under-17s to the top level of the game. The senior national team successfully qualified for the Fifa World Cup finals in 1998 and 2002.

Out of the darkness hope and confidence emerged, that this soccer-mad country where the heroes of the game instantly become heroes of the community, where the beautiful game unites the entire population, where eager spectators pack the stands to support the national side, Bafana Bafana, where impromptu kick-abouts are played until sunset on thousands of dusty open spaces, where the game lives will host the 2010 Fifa World Cup. Yes, everyone is aware of the massive economic opportunity, and everyone is excited by potential benefits for the country, but at its heart and core, South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup is driven by the people’s pure and uncomplicated love for the game.

The roots of soccer in South Africa reach far back into the 19th century, when the game’s official structures reflected the racial divisions in society at the time. Different ethnic groups established their own football associations in the early 1900s.

South Africans played soccer as they lived, apart. The geography of South African soccer was set in stone, with whites playing in their own club structures, feeding the “whites only” national team, and, sentimentally and psychologically, being geared towards Europe.

Meanwhile, blacks and coloureds were left somehow to play the game among themselves, denied facilities and funding. South Africa was again suspended from Fifa in 1964, and the domestic game erupted in hostility between the establishment Fasa and the “non-racial” body, the SA Soccer Federation (SASF).

Finally, after the Soweto uprising in 1976, South Africa was formally expelled from Fifa. In isolated darkness, Fasa was reborn as the Football Council of South Africa, but intermittent unity talks with SASF failed and the game continued to flow in two separate streams.

Into the 1980s, the country’s amateur soccer structures were still divided but, battling against the apartheid tide, standing brave in the vanguard of change, professional soccer did merge in 1985, under the auspices of a new National Soccer League. The repeal of apartheid legislation in 1990 started unity talks at every level of South African soccer and, on December 8, 1991, four historically divided and separate bodies finally reached across the negotiating table and founded the South African Football Association on non-racial, democratic principles.

Safa was welcomed into the African fold by an unforgettable standing ovation at the Confederation of African Football’s congress of 1992 in Dakar and then jubilantly admitted as a Fifa member at the governing body’s congress in June, 1992.

Now we must all embrace and support the 2010 World Cup. Let’s get involved and assist and support Safa–NMB to make that difference in our soccer. However, I would like to pose the following questions:

When will the racism and marginalisation be rooted out of our football in this country? If not, we will be forced to challenge the administration of Safa. Do we want to plough backwards?

Have the coloured and white soccerites not formed part of our country’s soccer history? The South African Soccer Federation had a proud history as an organisation of which we formed part.

Players were punished if they transgressed the “double standards” principle imposed on them by Sacos. We had equally great players.

Therefore, the players of that era did not receive the necessary exposure, unlike the Jomo Sonos and the Teenage Dladlas, etc who played normal sport.

Why are we not recognising our legends that formed part of this SA soccer history in their excellence and acknowledging the sacrifices they made? Have we documented these unsung heroes’ football profiles?

Did you know legendary goalkeeper Godfrey de Kock played with and against legendary English 1966 Fifa World Cup winner, goalkeeper Gordon Banks? What an achievement! De Kock must and should be one of the many ambassadors that this city has produced.

Why are we not addressing the poor conditions of our playing facilities throughout the metro? We should start challenging the officials and politicians. These facilities form an integral part of the post-2010 legacy.

Let’s speak out, as we as communities are affected. Get involved as our people are suffering. Let fair play prevail. – Gregory Kops, president, Northern Areas Legends Football Association, Port Elizabeth