Last week, Lebanese lawmakers took to the pitch to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). The war, which claimed the lives of 150,000 to 200,000 citizens, divided the country and left it in shambles. Today, Lebanon enjoys a precarious peace with an uneasy political relationship between the Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s party and the Hezbollah lead opposition.
Aside from the distraction of watching out of shape political rivals playing football, one thing was noticeably missing, fans. The game, like all other football matches since 2007, was played without the presence of any Lebanese citizens. Over the years, many of Lebanon’s football teams have fallen under sectarian and political lines, and as a consequence of the ensuing violence at matches, lawmakers have banned spectators from stadiums. Ironically enough, the match was played under the slogan: “We are one team.” That’s kind of hard to believe if fellow citizens can’t even watch football alongside one another. If that aspiration is to become reality, Lebanon’s politicians have their work cut out for them.
For video footage of the match visit the BBC News website by clicking here.
