It is a common saying that women loath football. Why would a normal person go crazy over 21 grown men running after a piece of rubber? This is the question many women ask when the football subject comes up. But depending on who you talk to, the days of women sitting and sulking next to their husbands or boyfriends during a football match are over, if the number of female football fanatics is anything to go by. As Rwanda hosts the African Nations Championships (CHAN), several women are thronging the stadiums to cheer and support their teams. Women nowadays genuinely enjoy the game and contrary to the common belief, it is not just to gawk at the attractive and well-toned bodies of football players like Christiano Ronaldo or Neymar; they are actually passionate about football. Grace Nyinawumuntu, the head coach of the national women team (She-Amavubi) and AS Kigali women’s football club, lives for football. Women who love football dress the part when supporting their teams. (Net photo) She says her love for football started way back as a child, a result of growing up in a family that had a strong passion for the game. “I love football. I grew up with mostly boys, and I always played with them, and did what they did; this, I think, had a big influence on me. However, my entire family had a passion for the game,” Nyinawumuntu says. Her love for the sport and ultimate career path was cemented by her enrollment for a degree in sports at Kigali Institute of Education. She graduated in 2008 and joined the sport, becoming one of the founders of AS Kigali. Nyinawumuntu also attended a five-month training programme in Germany. “I got a degree in sports but while at college, I wrote sports commentaries. Back then, I also loved watching Didier Drogba who played for Chelsea then, and Chelsea became my favourite team since then. I have never looked back,” Nyinawumuntu adds. She prefers watching teams play but does not take sides since she was once a referee, but this she does only when it comes to local teams. As for the international teams, her love for Chelsea still goes strong. In Spain, she is a fan of Barcelona and in Germany, she supports Bayern Munich. Nyinawumuntu says that the feeling she gets when watching a game is the best feeling ever. “The feeling I get when I’m off for a match is hard to explain because bliss is an understatement, the sensation goes beyond that. A supporter of the Uganda national team, the Cranes, prays for the team. (Net photo) Football is among the top things I enjoy in life, l love everything about it, especially when I train players and they get what is taught.” But the feeling one gets when the team they are supporting is beaten is utterly depressing, according to Nyinawumuntu. “If it’s a team that I train, though it’s not that common, to be honest, I even lose my appetite, she explains. “When a team I support, like Chelsea, wins, oh my God it feels like heaven on earth. I get so excited that when I have money, I there and then buy a drink for anyone who supports Chelsea.But when it’s beaten I am restless; I think about my team yet there is completely nothing I can do to help it,” she adds. Nyinawumuntu says that football is a fun game, so people should endeavor to embrace it. “Another great thing about football is that you get the chance to socialise with different people who could bring a huge difference to your life. “Football is indeed an interesting game, even when one is troubled; it just takes your stress away,”Nyinawumuntu says. PetronillarTumuhairwe has four sisters. But she is the only football fan. Her affection for the game stemmed from a general liking for sports; she used to play netball during her primary and secondary school days. She says that she adores the game because to her, watching it brings her fulfillment and emotions that no other hobby does. “I really do enjoy football to the extent that when I am watching it, I feel like getting onto the pitch myself, that’s how crazy it gets for me. The sound they make, the trumpets that keep blowing throughout the game, all that refreshes me,” Tumuhairwe says. Football fans during the Rwanda-Gabon game yesterday. (T.Kisambira) In Rwanda, she is a strong supporter of Amavubi because according to her, their skills are incredible. She is also a huge fan of Manchester United. “My love for sports in general started way back, but I got serious with football around 2009 when I joined college. I met friends who loved football and from then on, football became my favourite sport and hobby. I also like movies but when it comes to football, even if you bring the freshest episode of Empire, one of the hottest trending TV series now, when there is a match, I will definitely go for the match,” Tumuhairwe says. Esperance Mukakimenyi is a coach at GroupeScolaire St Famille, and a footballfanatic. She says that she no longer plays football but encourages others to do so, or at least be a part of it in some way, because it’s not only fun, but it keeps the body fit and healthy. “I support football because it’s a fun and social game; it also encourages people to work as a team, a trait I like a lot,” Mukakimenyi says. In Rwanda, Mukakimenyi loves Rayon Sports, a team she started supporting while in school, she also loves Arsenal because they tend to have players with a lot of vigor. “I have a son who loves Arsenal a lot just like me, so we are two strong supporters of Arsenal in the family and it really feels great. Everything involved in a game makes me happy, like when they score a goal and people jump in excitement, it’s an amazing experience,” Mukakimenyi says. She adds that football is a family game, from the children, her husband to herself. “I mostly watch my games at home nowadays but before, I used to love watching them at the stadium,” Mukakimenyi adds. For Maureen Sanyu, a football-loving woman used to strike her as tomboyish because she grew up with the mentality that it’s a game for boys and men. However, when she grew up, she came to fall in love with the game herself. “Actually, it’s of recent that I started going for football matches, but I have realised that I have been missing out a lot, the game is a total package and I enjoy every second when I am watching it,” she says. Sanyu warns men who bully female football fans that they only love the sport because they want to ogle at handsome men. “Some men think when a woman is watching a football game, or even basketball, that they are only admiring handsome men, which isn’t true; some of us are actually into the game,” Sanyu says with frustration. Supporters of Uganda national team, the Cranes pose for the camera at past CHAN game. (Net photo) Deborah Umutoni is a strong Barcelona fan and for her to enjoy a game, she has to be in a crowd. She says,” Football is a lot of fun when you watch it in a group such that when your team wins, you can celebrate. Besides, the arguments that spring amidst watching a game really make the whole experience so much better. “I encourage more women to join the sport and beat the mentality that football is a sport for men. The game comes with a lot of fun and women need to explore that,” Umutoni says. editorial@newtimes.co.rw ****************************************** Things you should never say to a female football fan 1. “You’re just trying to impress a man.” 2. “Shall I explain the rules to you?” If we don’t ask for it, then we don’t need your ‘mansplanation’. Thank you for offering, though. 3. “Which player do you fancy then?” Just because you’ve been raised in a society that loves to objectify women doesn’t necessarily mean we’re looking to return the favour.Not since David Beckham retired, anyway. 4. “You shouldn’t be shouting like that, it’s not ladylike.” 5. “Too many women will ruin the atmosphere.” 6. “Why aren’t you watching the women’s team?”7. “Guys must love you.” 8. “Guys will be intimidated by you liking football.”9. “You don’t care as much as the men do.” 10. “Female referees are a good idea in theory, but they just couldn’t command the same level of respect as a man.”11. “If you’re such a fan, who won the Champions League in 2005?” 12. “You know a lot about football, for a girl.” Agencies ****************************************** I SAY: Football fans share their love for the game Anita Mutesi, salesperson Anita Mutesi Though football has always been regarded a game for men, I think that these days, that is far from the truth. Football is interesting, not only to watch, but also follow up on regularly. Personally, the reason I’m a big fan of football is because I find it entertaining, especially when my team wins, it is also informative, and that is through following the lifestyle and dynamics of the sport. Josephine Tumukunde, student Josephine Tumukunde Football being the most popular sport in the world comes with an interesting story. I can’t play the sport, but I find it attention-grabbing, and a productive activity. Being such an avid lover of football, I have found pleasure in following updates and dynamics concerning the sport. Besides, football is fun and exciting; a good hobby to take on. Mutesi Mabeyi, salesperson Mutesi Mabeyi I enjoy football because it’s not exhilarating and is easy to understand, and also, it involves passion and skills for professionals, making it pulsating to watch. To be a fan, I was only taken by the free falling nature of the sport. Sylvia Nanyonga, student Sylvia Nanyonga I am an enthusiastic football fan and I enjoy every game. Football isn’t complicated like other sports; you know the score when you watch it, and it’s a game you can easily give a try without a lot of practice. I enjoy the spirit of team-work, sportsmanship, and the game’s professionalism. Besides, nothing beats the joy when your team wins. Compiled by Dennis Agaba
