Editorial –
Swiss football on the verge of the absurd
Thousands of young aspiring players cannot find clubs due to a lack of infrastructure to accommodate them. Ubuesque.
Editorial Published today at 7:59 a.m.
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In a purely instinctive reflex, consternation is a feeling that borders on the absurd. For three years, Swiss football as a whole has been cultivating ideas of greatness and development among young people for a virtuous mission and with success: 30% increase in players.
But everything collapses in the face of an inaudible reality: 10,000 children cannot find a club in the country. They simply cannot practice their sport, they add to the waiting lists. There is a lack of pitches and changing rooms. It lacks everything, and mainly a vision.
The temptation is great to criticize the lack of coordination. Arousing vocations to inspire them immediately is the zero degree of emulation. That the ASF deplores the situation, sounds the alarm and urgently seeks solutions does not change anything in the drastic infrastructure deficit which is affecting Swiss football today.
In an ideal world, it would have been necessary to support the current momentum by anticipating the framework for its development. This was not done. But is it really a surprise?
At a time when Switzerland is preparing to host the women’s Euro 2025the year 2024 opened in amazement, with a Federal Council which wanted to reduce the financial support promised to the tournament by 75% (from 15 to 4 million). The Council of States and the National have fortunately forced the government, in a snub, to respect its commitments. But the initial intention says a lot about the place of sport in our society.
Behind the infinite sadness of these 10,000 children whose passion is sacrificed, a number which will grow even more if nothing is done, so many municipal, cantonal and federal responsibilities. For awareness, finally?
Daniel Visentini has been a journalist for the Sport Center since 2018. He was the head of the Sports section of the Tribune de Genève for seven years. He closely follows football news, particularly that of Servette FC and the Swiss team.More info
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