Barawa 3

 

Unknown Player
vs. Ellan Vannin (2:0) | CONIFA WFC | 2018 in London

Just off the Somalian coast is the small islet of Jilaani. It marks the entrance to the port of the city of Barawa and is home to the Barawa Tower for at least a hundred years now. As that tower is seen from almost every place in Barawa, it has become the symbol of Barawa and, in particular, its long seafarers tradition. This symbol has made it onto the Barawa shirts of 2018. They were worn in the World Football Cup in London, which were formally hosted by Barawa, who helped organising it in the British capital.

I was co-leading the organisation committee of that World Football Cup with Paul Watson at time and thus closely worked with Barawa in the preparations of the tournament, too. After the tournament, their FA president Haji Munye handed me over this matchworn shirt, worn in the actual World Football Cup. It carries the number 19 of Mohamed Bettamer, who dropped out of the squad halfway through the tournament.

And that is the actual story behind this shirt, as it caused a major controversy back in 2018. Following the opening game, Barawa had a few injured or unfit players. As their squad already was only having 19 player - less than the 23 players all other teams listed - Barawa asked me, if they could add two players to their squad. This was possible on request, indeed. I got confirmation from the organisation committee and finally confirmed Barawa that they can field the two additional players. One of them was Mohamed Bettamer, a former Libyan national team player and later Barnet professional. In the last group stage match, Bettamer then scored one and assisted the other goal to beat Ellan Vannin, the team from the Isle of Man. As, in parallel, Cascadia was giving Tamil Eelam a 6:0 thrashing, this would see Ellan Vannin going out in the group stages, despite getting 6 points.

Following the match, Ellan Vannin went absolutely crazy about this. They initially complained that Bettamer was apparently added to the squad without approval. They then changed their line of argumentation and said Bettamer isn't "a true Barawan", but rather "a ringer bought in to win against them". The organisation committee - and the majority of the teams competing in the tournament - disagreed with their complaints and the Manx demands to be given a 3:0 walkover over Barawa. Ellan Vannin then left the tournament and some players and especially the FA president went on Twitter and other social media to insult and threaten some of the Barawan players instead. Some felt so intimidated that they did dare to play the tournament on and withdrew from the Barawa squad. Bettamer itself, e.g., was just about to sign a pro contract with Barnet and saw social media full of angry Manx players and people around the team calling him a cheater, a ringer and much worse. It was threating his career and he thus left. Barawa only was able to field 8 players in the quarter final vs. Northern Cyprus and, subsequently, got beaten 0:8. After similar whoppings by Panjab and Western Armenia they finished 8th in the World Football Cup 2018.

That all might sound a bit funny and absurd, but at the time it was really stressful. A lot of comments, especially online, were beyond any good taste. Even worse, an almost 2 year legal battle between Ellan Vannin and CONIFA followed. Ellan Vannin ultimately dropped the case, as there was no hope to get anything out of such a legal battle for them. While that was unappetizing, it makes this shirt all the more special. It carries that history forever.