'Private' Security Fails in pre-World Cup Fan Stampede Outside Friendly

Less than a week out from the start of the World Cup, and the tournament is filthy with injuries, terror threats and now fans stampeding outside today's Nigeria-North Korea friendly.

This begs the question, a query that's been haunting this tournament since South Africa was selected years ago: Are the players and fans safe?

Suddenly, South Africa's rampant crime rates seem tame to the political turmoil and apparently lackadaisical attitude toward security. Today's tragedy that left 14 injured--a number that's surely to rise--is being blamed on the fact that the match was a friendly. Therefore, World Cup security was not on the job. Apparently the rules say it was Nigeria's match, they provide security. The Nigerians' crack private security team was, apparently, on crack today.

Fans rushed the gates twice trying to get into the grounds and people were run over like traffic cones during a teen's driver's license exam. Pitiful. Frightening.

What are we in for in the next month?

How does FIFA allow this? Again, a very legitimate question. How can FIFA just wash its hands of a friendly less than a week from the start of the event. What? "World Cup security" whatever that is, is too expensive for a friendly? Crowd control isn't important before the tournament? Ridiculous. FIFA proves again that it does not value the safety of its players, its product. The players and the game, and of course, the fans, are the core of the game. To allow private security to be in charge today is irresponsible and negligent. I dare say if Brazil was in a friendly against, oh, anyone, there would have been World Cup security on the grounds.

This is disgusting, and harkens back to the terrorism attack on Togo's players during the African Cup of Nations. Why would FIFA allow a national team to travel through war-torn roads by bus? Probably the same reason it would allow private security to be in charge less than a week out from the World Cup.

Say a prayer for this tournament; I hope this is the last such post I have to write in the next five weeks. We all do.

Subscribe to Starting Eleven

Terrorism Hits Football as Togo Bus in Machine Gun Attack

Terrible news ahead of the African Cup of Nations. A bus driver was murdered and two players from the Togo national team were shot and injured during a machine-gun attack against their bus today.

An ESPN report says Angolan rebels are responsible for the attack, which happened on the Congo border. The tournament begins Jan. 10 in Angola.

The two players injured are reported to be GSI Pontivy goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé and Vaslui FC defender Serge Akakpo. Seven from the Togo party were injured and the Angolese bus driver killed. FC Nantes striker Thomas Dossevi told Radio Monte Carlo:

"We were attacked like dogs and had to hide for 20 minutes under the seats to avoid the bullets. We were shot, although we had two police coaches on our sides."

Six months shy of the World Cup, this will surely add to the trepidation and regret in some circles about putting the World Cup in Africa. Not only have political and infrastructure problems cast a shadow on the tournament, the threat of violence in South Africa was always a brooding issue. The attack on the Togo bus, whether random or targeted, isn't going to reassure anyone headed to Africa for the tournament.

It's terrorism, plain and simple. The rebels almost surely targeted the bus for political or social reasons, or just to get some attention to whatever their cause is. How sad that a highly anticipated tournament, one marked in the past by skillful, intelligent football that has evolved into a showcase for African players and nations, now will be known for this kind of terrorism.

Where is the security for these players? How can any club want to sanction sending players they've invested millions in to the tournament if their safety cannot be guaranteed. Who wants to be a pawn in a political struggle, or worse, a war. This is an ugly situation and a threat to the personal safety of high-profile footballers. FIFA has to intervene and demand from its member nations a highly evolved baseline of security for all its players and associates. They are becoming viable targets for terrorists such as these rebels.

It's a sad day, and hopefully, this is the end of it. Hopefully.

Subscribe to Starting Eleven