I did not really understand why nobody passed on the ball to me during my first local soccer practise game in Sweden . I am an ardent lover of soccer and everything about it and has been playing this game from the time I was a kid. I really wanted to join a team and to connect with other soccer lovers here in my home town Västerås.
I had to go through a process like an interview before i was even called for practice. I did not really understand why they had to interview me. I know if somebody says he is good, give him the chance to prove himself. I do not know how to describe how good I am to control the ball or run with the ball. Soccer is just a game and let me prove myself i told him.
Finally the big day came and the weather was damn cold. I was almost freezing when i got to the big beautiful football pitch. I was told i will get equipment from them but to my greatest dismay i got just shoes and I had to play with the clothes i had on me. I was not the only African but i was the most African in my ways.
I did not understand any word in Swedish and the trainer did not even look at me but i simply followed what the others were doing. After a couple of physical exercises it was time to play a little game . I was in one group of only Swedish guys and they never passed the ball onto me, no matter the position i was standing or even if i was free in front of the goal. They shouted at me when i had the ball and when i missed it they became really angry. I also stopped passing the ball to them and the trainer warned me. When i tackled somebody i was bullied at by that stupid trainer. I did not know what to do. Before the end of the game and after running after the ball and being shouted at, i bowed out of the game. I moved toward our trainer and tanked him for encouraging bulling and discrimination towards me. He wanted to defend himself but i just left.
With my wet, soaked and sweaty clothes i took my old bicycle and started riding about 2km back home. I fell abused, bullied, disappointed and my body was freezing because of my wet clothes on that day. I asked myself if this is really a developed society? How can somebody be discriminated in a simple training session of soccer? Is this really how Sweden is?What a beautiful game!!!
I think a developed society should also have developed morals regarding sociability and acquaintance of human behavior and not only industrial development. I also think that those who discriminate against others because of their sex, age, colour, race etc are all cowards, frustrated, low self-esteem and miss the joy of living and knowing other people.
