Unite the Masses: The Political and Social Role of Football in Syria, 2000–2015

Abstract

The Maghreb Review, Vol. 42, 2, 2017 © The Maghreb Review 2017 This publication is printed on FSC Mix paper from responsible sources UNITE THE MASSES: THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ROLE OF FOOTBALL IN SYRIA, 2000–2015 YEHUDA U. BLANGA* Introduction In recent years, Syria has been in the headlines primarily because of the civil war that has raged for over five years. But even in times of crisis, war and distress, people attempt to maintain some type of routine that includes standard elements that the traditional research literature often ignores. One of these elements is football, which has become the most popular sport in the world. When the leader of the Ultras (the fan club) of the Egyptian football club alAhly (‘the local’) was asked about the importance of the sport, he replied: Soccer is bigger than politics. It’s about escapism. The average (Cairo club Al) Ahly fan is a guy who lives in a one bedroom flat with his wife, mother-in-law and five kids. He is paid minimum wage and his life sucks. The only good thing about his life is that for two hours on a Friday he goes to the stadium and watches Ahly. That’s why it is such an obligation to win every game.1 Yet it is surprising to discover that despite all the blood spilled, the huge wave of refugees washing through Syria, its neighbours and Europe, and the hunger and poverty in the country, the professional football league still functions normally, unlike in other countries where violence or internal conflicts have often led to the suspension of sports. As a result, in light of the internal situation in Syria, this study surveys the status of football in Syria – a country under political and social oppression by the Ba’ath regime for the past four decades – in 2000–2015. The authorities have kept on every attempts at organising or undermining it under surveillance, with the aim of thwarting them. Groups that consolidate inside the world of football can develop into organisations outside that world as well. So the encounter between the stadium walls has become an opportunity, sometimes the only one possible, to meet ideological partners, form alliances, and make connections – all below the regime’s radar. This article considers the following questions: What roles does football play in Syria? In pursuit of what aims? How does it affect civilian life, foreign policy, and the economy? Does football protect the regime or is it a sort of ‘own goal’ in that it serves as a unifying force for its opponents? Is football controlled by the regime or is it a democratic, egalitarian and autonomous sphere? Finally, can a look at what happens in the stands reveal anything about current events or possible future developments outside the stadiums? * Bar-Ilan University 1 James Dorsey, ‘Soccer: A Middle East and North African Battlefield’, p. 6, http://www.academia.edu/1068817/Soccer_A_Middle_East_and_North_African_Battlefield (accessed 26 January 2015). UNITE THE MASSES: THE ROLE OF FOOTBALL IN SYRIA 179 Despite the extensive research literature on Syria, there has yet to be an indepth study about the influence of football on Syrian society and the Syrian state. This article will show how the sport is a significant dimension of day-today life, both for Syrian citizens and for the regime, which uses football as a tool to achieve its goals. It will demonstrate that there is a correlation between trends in Syria on the one hand and those on the playing field and the stands on the other hand, and show that the voices of football fans, including their methods of supporting their favourite team – posters, songs, publications, and slogans shouted at protest demonstrations – are platforms for transmitting messages and expressing opinions that deserve attention, and often their only opportunity to express themselves publicly. Political Capital and Football: Theoretical Emphases Political capital and football have always gone together. The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini used Italy’s victory in the 1934 World Cup to advance his Fascist ideology, posing for pictures with the national team after its victories to bolster his status in the country. Iran’s victory over the United States in the 1998 World Cup leveraged...