Powerful men in soccer seem to think they can get away with anything
The black-and-white side from Soweto have had a weekend to forget, but there may be a bigger picture that should concern us all.
Milutin Sredojevic, former head coach of Orlando Pirates (Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix)
Between Highlands Park sending Orlando Pirates packing out of the MTN8 cup and coach Micho Sredojevic resigning after allegedly being accused of a sexual offence, it is difficult to decide what shook the Sea Robbers’ ship more this past weekend.
If the alleged attempted sexual assault on a female staff member turns out to be true, then fame and breaking the law could triumph over other people’s human rights. What is more disturbing is how decision makers at some of the biggest football clubs on the African continent appear not to be afraid to be associated with someone accused of a sexual offence, or at least of supporting the narrative that they condone sexual violence against women by powerful men.
Men generally turn a blind eye when pals are accused of crimes of a sexual nature because they might be guilty of the same thing. Many a man gets away with it because whoever they harass doesn’t step forward.
Living in an apparently sex-crazy nation like South Africa, where sex can sometimes buy some people just about anything, depending on they get into bed with, Micho may have thought he could get away with making sexual advances on a female without consequence.
Footballers and coaches have gotten away with murder in the past, with women on the losing end. The allegations surrounding Micho are similar to those faced by others, which have been swept neatly under the rug, along with Thabo Matlaba allegedly assaulting a female who didn’t want to go home with him after a night of clubbing and August Makalakalane offering a starting berth in the female national team to any Banyana Banyana player who was willing to sleep with him.
The longer some men get away with sexual assault and others are willing to give these perpetrators a job to continue living as though they have not done anything wrong, then unfortunately no female is completely safe from us.
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