How winning big football matches promotes peace
A study finds that when African national teams are victorious, ethnic tensions wane
DID A MISSED penalty kick help bring peace to Ivory Coast? In 2005 its national football team was on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. Having won its final qualifying match, it just needed Cameroon to lose or draw the match it was playing against Egypt. The awarding of a late penalty set the Cameroonians up for a win. But Pierre Womé hit the post. The ball flew wide. Ivory Coast was in.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “More than a game”
From the June 20th 2020 edition
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