What the f**k is going on in: The VIVA World Cup

BTBW had the pleasure of taking one of its more random trips last week. Sneaking our way up the Swedish coast, doing unparalleled work for Irish-Swedish ties along the way, we made our way to Gallivare in Lapland for a few days of the VIVA World Cup 2008. This is a tournament organised by the NF Board,with the aim of allowing peoples not eligible to be represented in FIFA tournaments an opportunity to see their team compete. Any people with a unique cultural identity is eligible to compete. The NF board now comprises roughly 30 member 'states', ranging from regions with violent political struggles in place (Tibet, Kurdistan), to the separatist Padania of Northern Italy, to displaced peoples such as the speakers of the Arameic language, to a bunch of lads having a laugh like Provence and Sealand. The Lapland people, known as the Sami, were this year's hosts, with only 5 teams making the trip due to financial difficulties. Padania (with players from Chievo, Treviso and Vicenza) won it out, defeating The Arameic team in the final 2-0. The football is only secondary to the significance this tournament, whose organisers hope to keep completely apolitical, has to the peoples of some of these regions. We attended Kurdistan-Aramea, along with less than 1,000 people, while 10 million people watched the game on TV or internet stream in Kurdistan. Mind-boggling figures indeed. It was a true pleasure to see sport used as a motor for the expression of one's identity, and as a tool for unifying people from all around the world in a healthy and friendly atmosphere. The craic amongst locals, visitors, officials and players was second to none in the Grand Lapland Hotel (special mention to the outrageous barmaids). It was a million miles from the pragmatic, diving, cynical world of Ronaldo's slavery hell. Expect to see the number of teams and the level of interest rise for the next VIVA world cup in 2010. But remember where you read about it first.

Check out a video-synopsis of the tournament here:



And here's some proof that the Kurds were taking it seriously