Roughly three months ago when the Japanese caught the world’s attention, not because of their victory over Colombia at the World Cup, but because of the way their fans cleaned up the stands before exiting the stadium after every game, there were endless comments and social media postings about it. Everyone wanted to show how much he or she admired the act by sharing it on the social media platforms.
Apparently, we didn’t learn much from it. Or maybe the fans who occupied the majority of the Stands, particularly the greens at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy at Friday’s CPL semi-final match, didn’t see how the Japanese and the Senegalese fans cleaned up after every match at the World Cup, or perhaps simply do not care. The facility was left in an absolutely disgusting state with litter splattered everywhere. But you see our mentality here is that “they paying Cepep workers to clean that. let them work,” as one patron responded on hearing me air a bit of concern. That one guy was speaking on behalf of thousands and there was evidence to prove it.
A value analysis of listed Olympic and World Cup stadia reveals that they are characterised by a specific heritage profile, related to the uniqueness and singularity of the facility, of the landscape and of the sporting event. The history of architecture and sport are clearly interwoven in these places, as stadia appear as testimonies of the evolution of the sport and its status for past and present societies.
Stadiums have been of major interest to sporting enthusiasts like myself and many of my colleagues. When we attend events at venues both here and abroad, it’s sometimes not so much about what is happening in the game itself, but also about the operations and the activities around the staging of the event. For these people like us, when we’re working and when we’re also spectating, the game kind of fades away. We’re looking at the pitch, the security, the lighting, the entertainment zones, the seating, the stewards and yes the fans too among other items. These places are reflections of who we are, the good and the bad, and I think we reveal ourselves in what happens at these venues. Do we want to be wasteful as a society, or do we want to be more sustainable? Do we want to be part of a fanbase of venues that matter, that has a legacy? Or is it just about getting a ticket to be part of the biggest party in sport and then we leave our cups, bottles, napkins and plates lying there as we walk away until next time.
These are important establishments, the Queen’s Park Oval, the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Ato Boldon among others and now the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The Tarouba venue has all the makings towards a fantastic legacy just like the man it's been named after. Even if we’re not interested in the upkeep of these places, far more our own homes, it’s important to think about what the venues mean to our communities and the signal we are sending to the rest of the region and the millions of viewers in other continents looking on. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy like the others is supposed to elevate the pride of the community and by extension the country.
The goodwill nature of the Japanese contingent in Russia even spread to the team which ensured they left the changing room spotless after their final match of the tournament. Their fans remained true to the morals even after the defeat. TKR won on Friday night and we’re looking to go all the way today, yet we couldn't care less on Friday about the state of the venue.
The politeness and cleanliness of the Japanese fans did not come as a surprise, especially if you've been fortunate to have walked their spotless streets first hand. So is that we're fine with the aftermath of our stands on Friday being a reflection of who we are as a people?“ If you have not been to Japan, it is an inspiringly beautiful place. Japanese culture at its best,” one fan tweeted in June. Imagine what some may be sharing on social media about Trinidad and Tobago based on Friday's sights or how about it being the other way around. If we'd done our little part, hashtag TrinidadandTobago might have followed some impressive comments on the pages of people who may have a visit to our twin-island on their bucket list.
Scott North, a professor of Sociology, explained that cleaning up after matches is “an extension of basic behaviours that are taught in school, where the children clean their school classrooms and hallways," in reference to the Japanese. I was afraid to reach out to one of our local professors for a comment on our actions or lack thereof for fear of this column being littered with filthy expletives from the Professor and me.
We can all agree that a properly maintained facility is vital to the success of a range of things from franchises, events, national identity, team performances and more. The proper approach to maintenance starts with prevention. Fans attend sporting events for the experience and part of that experience is their interaction with the facility. If a bathroom sink is overflowing or the toilets aren't flushing properly, fans will remember and spread the word.
How about we play our little part in ensuring the right things are spread about what belongs to us. Garbage bags are light and can fit easily in a side pocket. They come in very handy at times. Let's show the region how it's done on and off the pitch today. Come on TKR Fans! Play your part during and after the match.
Editor's Note
Shaun Fuentes is a former FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He is also currently a CONCACAF Competitions Media Officer and has traveled extensively because of sport and media over the past eighteen years. He is also a certified media trainer for athletes.