Micro-states in International Sport - Maldives leading...India following close

A predominant perception among sports officials is that small countries and especially countries with short histories of sport have less chance to make it in International Sport. The Maldives is however proving otherwise within the South Asia region, at least, in Football.

The National Football Team’s performance at the ongoing SAFF Competition from 3 to 14 June hosted jointly by Sri Lanka and the Maldives is proving this theory wrong again.

Maldives is set to throw another punch above its WEIGHT against India at the national Stadium in Male’ Saturday 7 June.

Maldives, India, Pakistan and Nepal are playing in the Male’ Group while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan are fighting it out in the Colombo Group.

The finals are scheduled for next Saturday in Colombo. Each capital gets a semi-final with the home team staying put if it tops the group. Can the Maldives get their semi-final match at home?
In the last two days of play, Maldives beat Pakistan and Nepal with an aggregate of 7 goals, conceding one to Nepal. India has beaten Nepal and Pakistan with an aggregate of 6 goals, conceding a goal to Pakistan. Maldives is leading with a goal as we take the field against India. If we win we can expect to see the second team from the Colombo group arriving Male’ to fight us on our home turf. Wouldn’t that be a treat for Maldives fans?

After Friday evening's play, the Colombo Group is looking tense. Afghanistan, who are back in football since 2003 may find a place in the semis if they beat Bhutan tomorrow. Friday’s match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be a do or die match.

Fans expect a WIN Saturday night

Beating Sri Lanka was a novelty in the 80s. The 90s saw fans requiring we beat India. The expectation was that we have to be comfortable against Bangladesh. We dominated in the Bangladesh finals in 2003 but eventually lost on penalties. The National Team is therefore almost a decade behind public expectation.

The Maldives National Football Team is the national DREAM TEAM.

India, have over a centuries’ experience with football, twice as long as the Maldives. India, like the Maldives practice a “selective approach” on internalization of sport. That is to peg support for sports on their performance internationally. Similarities in sport policy between us two neighbours end here. India is a democracy. Maldives is a dictatorship.

India has encouraged public sector involvement in sport while Maldives have not. Dictator Gayoom’s government has adopted a centralized approach, some thirty years out of step with the times. Thus the FIFA suspension! Dictator Gayoom,like all other dictators has used sport as a political tool.

The Gayoom dictatorship has a 25% import duty slapped on sports goods while India has exempted sports from such burdens. India in fact gives tax breaks for commercial partners. While Indian leaders may leave sport alone, dictator Gayoom will not. The dictator always camps at the Stadium should there be an international match with a good crowd. This year he has even printed a jersey with his name and numbered it ONE!

It is therefore amazing how that the Maldives National Football Team maintain this edge. If we had Gayoom off our backs, I believe we would already have beaten India in the 90s. The fact however is that with or without the burden of Gayoom’s dictatorship, the Maldives DREAM TEAM seems totally UNSTOPPABLE. Good luck.