National 8 (Spotlight Weekly)

Epidemic Effect

People seem oblivious of what is going on in other spheres of life

By THAKUR AMGAI

The low turnout of students on Friday, June 21 at a school in the capital suggested that something unusual was going on. And unusual it was indeed: Brazil was pitted against England in the World Cup football tournament. It was one of the quarter-final matches, but pundits and viewers considered it no less exciting than the final. The winner of the match was likely to go on to win the World Cup.

This clash of the football titans was not the only match that attracted such a huge public response. The entire World Cup season has affected almost every sphere of life. The unemployed, understandably enough, had ample time to follow every kick, throw and foul and talk about them for hours. Students and office workers, too, took time off their schedule and glued themselves to the TV set.

The tournament proved to be a learning process for many others. "I was not interested in football. But because of the never-ending conversation on the games from peers, I became interested," said Tika Bahadur Thapa, as he was stepping out of his office to watch the match in home.

Institutions, too, have been making all possible arrangements to ensure that matches are not missed. "We arranged the academic calendar to coincide the summer vacation with the World Cup tournament," said Mahendra Prasad Maskey, principal of Mahendra Vidhyashram.

Other schools, including the reputable Budhanilkantha, have adjusted school hours to the matches. Those obstinate about academic discipline made arrangements to show the major matches in school.

The World Cup fever has been conspicuous in other sectors as well. The streets are relatively empty and fewer vehicles ply on the road when a match is going on. Virtually no youths are seen outdoors. People are seen gathering around television sets in tea stalls and cold stores. Neighborhoods erupt in applause or lament each time a team scores a goal or misses a vital opportunity. Comedians on TV and radio have scripted their acts around the tournament.
Employers have been more flexible with workers when it comes to World Cup-related excuses. There was no way government employees, known for their ability to pursue personal activities during office hours, would have missed the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.

Private-sector workers, normally sensitive to what the boss might say, chose to exercise greater liberty this time. "The boss himself leaves aside work to watch the matches, so why shouldn't we?" a worker at a private company asked, insisting on anonymity.

The World Cup has proved to be good for businesses, too. Many restaurants have been showing matches on large screens, drawing a large number of people. Cinema halls have been turned into football theatres. From teashops to parks and from homes to offices, football is the only event people seem to be talking about these days, even with so much happening in politics and other spheres.
The fever rose a few degrees after the only Asian country remaining on the tie-sheet scored another feat against a European giant. In an exciting match, South Korea beat Spain in the penalties. As no team could score a goal during the allocated time, the referee extended the match for golden goal. The Spanish team was close to victory had it not been for the controversial decision given by the linesman.

Because of the venue - Japan and South Korea - audiences in Nepal got to watch the games live while they were wide awake. Many people were busy dissecting key matches with the skill of a professional. Those less familiar with the techniques and subtleties of the game listened on avidly.