Kanouté ‘injured’ in Mali soccer riot

By: Ryan | October 15th, 2007

Ahh my good ol’ days as a Buckeye

Today while wasting a bit of time before class I was wandering through the ebays and quickly read a story that said that Freddy Kanouté was injured during a riot after Mali lost in an African World Cup qualifier 2-1 to Togo. It says in the article that he was ‘kicked in the leg’. Really? Kicked in the leg? That sounds terrible! I’m sure Kanouté has never been kicked in the leg during a game. WOW!

All kidding aside, for those of you who have never been a riot, they are a scary place. I was in the riots at Ohio State when we beat Michigan in 2002. I literally witnessed a car set on fire and tipped over, a newspaper box thrown through the bookstore window, and more mattresses thrown out of windows then I believed to be humanly possible. I wasn’t ever in danger of being killed or anything, but it is an impressive, albeit scary, site when you see how crazy a mob of angry human beings can be.

It made CBC’s website and even made the USA Today paper. Which I found to be interesting since soccer related news never makes it too far.

The article can be summed up by this quip from the fans.

“Give us Frederic Kanoute and Mamadou Bakayoko. We’re going to kill them!”

What is more interesting is that the President of Mali, Osumane Issoufi Maiga didn’t even support his players during this time.

Mali Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi Maiga went on national radio Monday to congratulate Togo on its victory, and said his government would work to repair the damage caused by his nation’s “unsporting behavior.”

Later Monday, Maiga indicated the players would be punished for the costly loss, saying “all the consequences of the players’ acts will backfire.” He did not elaborate.

Government ministers berated the Mali players, who looked down silently in humiliation, during a state television broadcast on Monday night.

Government spokesman Ousmane Thiam told them they were “a disappointment” and “did not perform to expectations” after the government had spent $775,500 on their transport and lodging.

So wait a second. Mali has a bad game and they lose. The fan’s riot. And the President basically says ‘Our team sucks, you all are a disappointment and a disgrace to our country. And why didn’t you kick Kanouté harder. (whispers) Whats that? (whispers) Oh yeah, you bad rioters you. Don’t NOT stop rioting´

As a plea to the Mali fans, please don’t kill Kanouté, Sevilla desperately need him back. Thanks.

Never a dull moment in football.

—————-UPDATE—————

Go here to check out Bob’s article. Apparently Kanouté needed stitches after he was attacked by a belt.