A short letter to FIFA: Buy(ing) of players to buy(ing) of service players

A true search for the answer as to why racism in world soccer still lingers on in spite of solutions ranging from reformation by FIFA's racism chief Jeffrey Webb, to Kevin-Prince Boateng’s protest of walking off the pitch, cum the preparedness of Mario Balotelli to do same.

Perhaps, the functionalist perspective, may be so apropos, in explaining why some backward and primitive minded fans of the beautiful game “soccer” still believe racist comments, monkey chants and hooting is so relevant in the beautiful game in this era of modernity.

Simply put, the purposeful nature of events and phenomena secure their ubiquity and antiquity. Nothing therefore continues to exist if it serves no purpose to a section of the populace or the entire humanity at large. So then I ask a rhetoric one: What is the function of racism in world soccer to warrant it’s thrive even in the face of un alienating rights of all to be equal?

Racism undoubtedly is focused, on projection of one’s superiority over the other. It is an innate trait, lifting the ego of one group of people’s collective identity accompanied with deep preconception that the other collective group of people must always be subjected to certain superiority regardless of merit.

The racist subscribes and hails physical and biological features he or she has no control over and can never have, and rather detest and denounces meritocracy. Perfection to the racist in world soccer is a reserve for only some people.

Once near perfection is reached by those who are not considered to have the divine right to do so, there is a breach of the ego of the racist, consequently, the effluvia of the racist comments.

More often, there is always the likelihood of generational, racial or historical tag that serves as a reference point for the racist to believe firmly that, the victim of racism is always inferior.

It is in this vain that I believe FIFA should denounce the use of the phrase “buy(ing) of players” with regards to transfer of players in world soccer and adopt “buy(ing) of services of players” instead.

The term “buy(ing) of players resonates the days of slavery and commoditise players. This is extremely dehumanising and demeaning to the very players that contribute their talents to let the beautiful game stand tall.

The most echoing premise warranting the need to drop the phrase “buy(ing) of players” is that, even though the term is applicable to all players from all race and creed, the usage of the term “buy(ing) of players” has some subtle racist element, and therefore consequently undermines the efforts of FIFA to kill racism in world soccer.

There is monumental evidence indicating the fact that, the most commoditized humans during slavery era were blacks, and the most victims of racism on the soccer pitch have been blacks.

Consequently, it is well justified to say, once sold before and now being sold, one remains a mere good on the pitch of play and could be hooted at accordingly.

A true fight against racism must be so genuine, not to be in reminiscence of a reality that defeats the well intentions and all purposes of the fight. It is my greatest hope, the proposed phrase “buy(ing) of services of players will be adopted, to indicate a true committed effort to fight racism in world soccer.