Close up:

Performance matters

By Salama A Salama

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For once, Egyptians were proud. The victory in the Africa Cup of Nations gave ordinary Egyptians a sense of belonging that they had lost since a long time, despite all the talk of our 7,000-year-old civilisation, which the government likes to invoke. For once, we were proud not of the past but of the present and the future.

The victory was a far cry from the despair that sends our young men to drown off foreign shores while trying desperately to reach any country in which they can make a living. For a change, our young people found something to look up to, a game that is competitive but fair. You don't get ahead in football through nepotism, nor can you buy your way to the top. This why the young love this game -- because the best team wins.

Egyptians were pleasantly surprised to see their team win the cup along with much fanfare and worldwide recognition. Playing against the best footballers from the big teams of Europe, and amid crowds rooting for their opponents, Egyptian footballers proved they were true champions. For once, we have a national team fit to take on any European or Latin American side.

For once, it became clear that self-confidence is not something that we have to wait for the ruling party to hand down to us. The government may give out subsidies, cheap bread, or low-paid jobs for those who stand in line long enough, but not self- confidence. The latter is earned through a deep commitment to excellence, fair play and determination. This much we have learned from our football win.

But why is it only football that inspires such national pride and desire to excel in the country? Why, apart from football, are we a nation that litters, breaks traffic regulations, and tries to cheat its way out of all sorts of situations? Why has indifference become a hallmark of our life? Why do we see Egyptians excel in their work only when they move to countries such as France or Germany, but lose all hope and drive when they stay here?

The answer may seem complex, but it is simple. Loyalty and accountability are not one-way streets. They are a reciprocal process involving citizen and country. When people feel that their efforts are fairly rewarded, they give their best. But when they feel that others would steal their achievements, they slacken. That's why international competitions capture the public's imagination, because they are always about fair competition and the quest for excellence.

It was grossly unfair for rulers and governments to try to appropriate the achievements of our footballers. Our national team won the cup because they worked hard and trusted their coach, not because they wanted the glittering gold of Gulf rulers, or a pat on the back from the powers that be.

We saw the joy on the faces of the players and their friends and neighbours in villages and crowded neighbourhoods. That was real joy. It was real because the ordinary people felt it. And what a far cry it was from the joy manufactured by corporations for Valentine's Day, one of the most commercialised occasions in history. This joy wasn't pre- packaged. It wasn't displayed in shop windows. It didn't come wrapped in red ribbons. It was the real thing.

So why do we excel in football and lag behind in everything else? The answer is clear: because football is all about performance, not loyalty. Other nations get ahead because in their societies performance is the criterion for success in everything. In Egypt, performance only matters in football. Sad, but true.