By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Human rights activist and former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu has criticised the President of Union of Europen Football Association (UEFA), Aleksander Ceferin over comments he said portrayed the FIFA World Cup as a competition that should be dominated by European nations.
Odinkalu argued that the ongoing FIFA World Cup has demonstrated the growing competitiveness of countries from outside Europe, pointing to a series of remarkable upsets recorded by teams traditionally regarded as underdogs.
According to him, Cape Verde stunned two-time world champions Uruguay by eliminating them from the group stage, while Paraguay knocked out four-time champions Germany from the competition.
He also noted that Morocco defeated perennial title contenders, the Netherlands, underscoring the increasing strength and competitiveness of non-European football nations.
The former Anambra State governor said such results have exposed the fallacy of any suggestion that the World Cup should remain an exclusive showcase for European football powers.
Taking a swipe at Čeferin, Obi alleged that the UEFA president views the FIFA World Cup as a “knighted European spectacle” meant for the entertainment of what he described as “sub-humans.”
Obi maintained that the recent performances of countries from Africa and South America have reaffirmed football’s global appeal and reinforced the principle that success at the World Cup is determined by talent, preparation and determination rather than geography or historical pedigree.
He stressed that the tournament belongs to the entire world and should celebrate merit, competitiveness and equal opportunity for all participating nations, irrespective of continent.
Obi’s remarks come amid increasing discussions over the balance of power in world football as emerging nations continue to challenge and defeat established football giants on the sport’s biggest stage.
