2007年VOA标准英语-African Soccer Celebrates 50 Years

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
07 February 2007

This week marks the 50th anniversary¹ of the African Football Confederation, Africa's official soccer body. The sport is usually associated with boys and men, but Naomi Schwarz visited a soccer school in Senegal's capital, Dakar and talked with one woman who loves the sport.

It is a windy day at a hard-packed sandy field near the seaside village of Ngor, on the outskirts² of Dakar.

 
Maam Samba Gueye stretches after drills
Maam Samba Guèye runs herself through drills on the sidelines as the men's team practices on the field. Her practice ended an hour earlier.

The enthusiastic 22-year-old midfielder says she has always been and continues to be dedicated³ to her sport, even in the face of her father's disapproval⁴.

"My mother always supported me so I could play soccer. But my father, well, he refuses. He always says that girls do not play ball," she said.

Her coach, Djibril Guèye, says unfortunately such attitudes in Senegal are not rare.

 
Djibril Gueye runs practice
"Almost all the girls have the same problem. People do not want girls to go to the field. But there are some who are understanding, and girl's soccer is developing here," he said.

Female⁵ soccer has recently developed in Africa, with major international tournaments attracting lots of media attention.

The Ngor women's team is training for the women's national Senegalese championship, where they will play against star Senegalese teams like the Gazelles and the Eagles.

Few members of the team, who range in age from 15 to their early twenties, are in school.

Maam Samba Guèye only completed elementary school and does not have a job.

"In the mornings, I prepare lunch for my family: Thiebudien, yassa, soupe au kandia," she said, referring to several typical Senegalese dishes.

In the afternoon, she trains with her team. If they win the women's championship, the players will share the prize money. But for now, she looks to her parents and other family members for support.

The money in female soccer is nothing compared to money some African stars have made going to Europe, like Ivorian Didier Drogba who plays for one the world's richest teams, Chelsea.

 
The boys team takes shots on goal
Many of the young men who go to Europe seeking soccer riches alter⁶ their birth certificates⁷ so they can appear to be stronger for their age and have more potential.

Compact⁸ and wiry, Guèye has done the same - her identity⁹ card says she is 19.

"I did a judgment," she says, referring to a process that allowed Senegalese people to officially change their birth date. This was often done for students who need to repeat a grade, and in Guèye's case, she says, so she could continue to play soccer as well.

Diama Guèye, a former teammate, who stopped playing in order to get a job, says it is a shame so many African players try to get to Europe, but she can understand why.

"If the best African players are going to play in Africa instead, we need to be able to support them here," she said.

1 anniversary   

n.周年(纪念日)

参考例句：

• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
• Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。

2 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

3 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

4 disapproval   

n.反对，不赞成

参考例句：

• The teacher made an outward show of disapproval.老师表面上表示不同意。
• They shouted their disapproval.他们喊叫表示反对。

5 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

6 alter   

vt.改变，变更；vi.改变，变样

参考例句：

• We have to alter the house into a barn.我们不得不把房子改建成谷仓。
• She is trying to alter the coat.她正设法改那件衣服。

7 certificates   

n.证明书，执照( certificate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They accepted their certificates with words of thanks. 他们一边道谢，一边接过证书。 来自辞典例句
• The bank manager is said to have issued fake certificates. 据说那个银行经理曾出具伪造的凭证。 来自辞典例句

8 compact   

adj.紧密的，简明的，紧凑的；v.使紧凑，压缩

参考例句：

• It was a compact package.这是个捆得很紧的包裹。
• The article is compact and well organized.文章严密，又很有章法。

9 identity   

n.身份，本体，特征；同一(性)，一致

参考例句：

• He never revealed his identity.他从未暴露过自己的身份。
• He showed his identity card and went in.他把工作证亮了一下就进去了。