This is one time when the promotion of sport needs to take a back seat. Anyone and everyone helping the people of Haiti needs to be commended, but FIFA has missed the point.
The worlds largest soccer organization has pledged $3 million to Haiti. No, not for food, not for clean water, hospitals, medicine, or schools, but for soccer of course.
It seems ill-timed and almost ridiculous that such a large international organization would focus on rebuilding their sport in a nation like Haiti, instead of providing basic supplies that are necessary for survival.
Call me crazy, but I think that soccer will be the last thing on the mind of the Haitian people for quite some time. After 9-11, baseball seemed to re-unite the American people. This however, is not 9-11. This was the destruction of a nation, the loss of 200,000 lives.
Soccer is a wonderful game and is a sport that is played in many third-world and developing countries, but it does not take the place of food and shelter.
Immediately following the earthquake in Haiti, FIFA also donated approximately $250,000. The donations I'm sure, are both greatly appreciated, however, the discrepency between what was given for basic human survival, and the amount given for a game, seems illogical.
Either way, FIFA should be applauded for helping to rebuild Haiti. Even if they are only rebuilding soccer fields.
Let the games begin.
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