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Footballers facing prolonged unemployment
It is one of the consequences of the crisis shaking football in Burkina Faso. Players in the domestic league are out of work. Some are tempted to move abroad to continue their careers. Others spend their days with friends over a glass of tea. That is the case for Asfa Yennenga captain Jean Baptiste Sié Noufé: "With no league, we try to take our minds off things as well. We have our tea and then we watch foreign leagues to pick up a few ideas."
Most clubs in Burkina Faso can no longer pay their players. To make a living, some players lend money at interest and others get by as best they can. Some have no work at all and live on help from friends and relatives. "It's really hard as a player because the league is our job," laments Stéphane Zongo, an EFO player.
The clubs and the crisis
The situation is also hard for clubs to manage. To fill the void, some clubs in Burkina Faso are turning to friendlies or mini-tournaments. That is the case at Salitas, AS Douanes, Etoile Filante de Ouagadougou (EFO), Majestic SC and even Rahimo FC. "With no league, we have to play friendlies among ourselves or against other clubs to stay fit, because we don't know when the league will resume," explains Salif Nampe Coulibaly of Salitas FC.
Referees and the crisis
The sudden halt to the leagues has also hit the referees who officiate the matches. In Burkina Faso, referees are paid per service, so without matches there are no fees. Some of them are therefore out of work for a prolonged period, like the players, during this crisis. "You know that referees are service providers. So competition is largely a matter of psychology. As a referee, you train because at the end of the week you have to perform. It is an honour to be in front of people or the crowd, but there is more to it, in terms of motivation and enjoyment", says Saïdou Belem, president of the referees' association of the Fasofoot.
The crisis is getting plenty of people talking. The sports press has been deprived of its raw material. While waiting for a way out of the crisis, players, supporters, coaches and journalists share one wish: to relive their passion, football, and to feel the buzz again of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches every weekend in Burkina Faso.
Ablam GNAMESSO
