A passion killer - Thought Leader

About a week ago I submitted an opinion piece to this website and have been asking myself what I believe is a very pertinent question which can easily be asked all over the world. When does sport transcend rationality to become hatred and violence. How can we take the positives of support, passion, provincial and national pride and make into not just a negative but a really horrible thing — hatred. I experienced first-hand the irrational transcendence of this very thing based on the opinion I expressed. The article spoke of the Samoan rugby team that, in MY OPINION, had one objective on the rugby field at the Rugby World Cup in their match against the Springboks, to physically hurt the opposition.

The article spurred the most horrific responses using all degrees of profanity, racism and anti-Semitism that I have had the displeasure of reading. Here were around 400 to 500 passionate Samoan supporters responding in a vitriolic fashion only reinforcing the very opinion I was expressing and having the irrationality to make some attempt at positioning me as a racist, which I categorically and emphatically denounce. There is no place for racism in any society.

I want to make the following clear though, I respect each and every person that posted a comment on the page, I respect the fact that this is a place of opinions, a place where to and fro discussions are happening all the time. The fact that they support their team and have such national pride is something to be admired, which I do. Even when someone is quite obviously in the wrong and yet carries the idea with passion and enthusiasm I do respect that but here was a classic example of the positives in pride, support and passion turning into negatives. I have played many sports at a representative level in South Africa as I am sure some of the respondents have done in Samoa — although this does not make us experts — we are allowed to express the opinion. All of this has to be done with respect. I remain sad that a person feels justified to transcend normal boundaries and incite hatred out of an article related to sport. Sport in most countries is a unifying force, even with a vast array of opinions — I live in South Africa as you know where you have more opinions and agendas than any other country in the world, where the selection of team is always driven by racial considerations. A different debate for another article.

Sport can never be allowed to transcend boundaries of respect, it cannot be allowed to develop into hatred or violence. This week and this year I have experienced this in terrible ways with the comments made to the article in question and then with the violence in Canada around the performance and results in the Ice Hockey Stanley Cup, I was left gobsmacked by both. I want to make it clear that as my opinion I remain committed to its contents. I remain consistently open to constructive comments with your own opinions whereby an agreement could or could not be reached but always with the respect.

Us as the passionate supporters, the lovers of the game, whatever game that is, need to assume full responsibility for keeping the respect and the positives around sport. Don’t let blind passion cloud the objectivity of an opinion. This then teaches the next generation what it means to be part of something greater than ourselves.

It remains for me to wish the Springboks, my team, all the best in the quarter-final match against the Wallabies on Sunday October 9 2011.

KE NAKO AMABOKKE BOKKE KE NAKO!!!