T HE DEBAT E
PRESIDENTIAL NOTE
The FIFA Weekly asked on fifa.com: Is a handshake more than just a symbolic act?
Yes. It is more than a symbolic act. It congratulates the opposing team whether they won, or lost. It is also a sign of respect, which is important in sport. It’s also done in rugby, a handshake at the end. A handshake is not just a shake, it has a message, which is Well Done.
My father taught me a firm handshake and eye contact is what separates men from boys. I live to that creed every day. In football it is used as an act of responsibility and respect to which I agree. jreileyc (USA)
ukfootie (Great Britain)
It should bemore than that. It shows how willing we are to be in touch with the others, to send best wishes to them whatever the situation. In a football match, handshakes between opponents mean sending a good luck to fellow footballers. They may wear the different jersey, play in a different team, but they are under the same roof, ones who do profession as a footballer. tioborowski (Indonesia)
Yes it is. Some shake hands when they meet, when they go, when you get to know them. Yes, a handshake is more than just a symbolic act. Zmajevac25 (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Handshake is a symbol of respect and class, whether in the beginning or at the end of a match. Take the example in 2010 when French coach Domenech refused to shake the hand of South African coach Perreira when France was eliminated at 2010 World Cup. Mark Lawrenson said it best that “Win 7-0, lose 0-7, whatever, you shake the opposition’s hand. You just do it!” Never are there truer words in soccer than that statement.
“It’s a promise to take care of each other.” The handshake as a symbolic act is generally thought to have developed from war – as a gesture to demonstrate neither side is carrying a hidden weapon and each comes in peace. As standard part of the event build up, I believe the handshake to be more than just a symbolic act as it expresses a willingness for equality and balance and connotes an implicit promise to take care of each other, to be sporting, to behave by the rules, to respect fellow players/referees/opponents and fans. ADJVFUN (Greece)
amartinez (USA)
No. I think it’s just formality ... Like the national anthems are.
Football’s big chance
I am from Bosnia Herzegovina. Handshake in my tradition and religion means: Handshaking can forgive sins.
Mudu 12 (India)
BH-Zmaj (Canada)
“L
et’s celebrate humanity through football,” said the unforgettable Nelson Mandela. His words are more topical than ever. Football can build bridges and bring people together like almost no other sport. Even in areas of conflict such as Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria, the kick-off to a game of football can also help initiate diplomatic and political negotiations. Football gives people hope even in the most difficult of circumstances. At the World Cup in Brazil, we want to spread this message even more forcefully around the world with our “Handshake for Peace” campaign in association with the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo. Naturally the campaign is a symbolic act: a handshake is always a symbol. But it can be an important sign and the start of sustainable developments. The decisive factor is how much energy is invested in the peace process afterwards. We have devised a special moment of drama to symbolise this mission: a dove of peace will be released at the World Cup opening ceremony, prior to the meeting between Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo on 12 June. It is a matter of the utmost personal importance to me that we maintain the intensity and pace of our efforts in this respect. The power of our sport ultimately extends way beyond the confines of the pitch and the duration of a match. Thanks to the appeal and popularity of our sport we have a huge chance to bring people together and impart respect and mutual understanding. We must under no circumstances miss this chance in Brazil.
“Win 7-0, lose 0-7. You just do it!” Best wishes, Sepp Blatter T H E F I FA W E E K LY
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