Introduction 1

On 10 May 1994, the festivities for Nelson Mandela's presidential inauguration included a soccer match between South Africa and Zambia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. At halftime, Mandela's helicopter landed on the pitch. As the president stepped out onto the grass, the huge crowd erupted in a thunderous roar. When play resumed, the South Africans seemed electrified and went on to win the match 2–1. On 15 May 2004 in Zurich, Switzerland, Mandela wept with joy when the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) awarded South Africa the right to host the 2010 World Cup. South Africans celebrated in the streets as if they had not simply won hosting rights, but the World Cup itself! ‘To some extent this outburst of euphoria surpassed 1994’, commented Ahmed Kathrada, the former political prisoner incarcerated with Mandela for 26 years; ‘The scenes of jubilation, the spontaneous outpouring of celebration following FIFA's decision, the solidarity of pride and unity evoked by a sporting event should serve as a shining example to black and white alike.’ ²