Does witchcraft have a place in football?

The Ivorian Government has settled a 10-year dispute with disgruntled witch doctors who claim to have had a hand in the country's African Nations Cup triumph.

Is it all just mumbo jumbo or serious stuff?

Should the practice be allowed?

The witch doctors, from a suburb of the capital, Abidjan, were apparently hired by the sports minister before the 1992 Nations Cup final against Ghana.

The Elephants won the trophy after beating the Black Stars in a dramatic penalty shootout in Dakar, Senegal.

The belief in the use of charms and incantations is not exclusive to the West African country.

Jomo Sono, South Africa's coach is a self-confessed believer in the power of charms to change his fortunes on the pitch.

Do you think that African traditional practices, known as "Juju" in West Africa and "Muti" in the southern part of the continent, have a strong role in football?

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If you believe in witchcraft, it will work for you. However, if you believe solely in witchcraft and throw training in the wind, you will have yourself to blame!
Divine, Scotland

Africans have always intrigued me with their nonsensical beliefs. Now we are debating issues of little relevance to sports. I understand that there is usually a lot at stake on those big games and people are willing to do whatever it takes to win. However, the superior, well-trained, and well-prepared team will always win.
W. Abiola, Nigeria

It is a shame that the issue of juju has eaten so deeply into the fabric of African football that European football players and administrators have started taking it seriously. It is no longer shocking to see a European football player asking for the address of an African witch doctor.
Tope Akinwande, Geneva, Switzerland.

With the results my team have had of late, I would have no objection to replacing a few of the staff with witch doctors

Baz, UK

North African teams such as Esperance, Al-Ahly and Raja Casablanca have dominated African club football over the last 12 years through organisation and hard work and no amount of witchcraft can ever top those very basic facts of life.
Nabil, Tunisia

Juju is mostly in the mind. But then, so is soccer. If a ritual helps build confidence, let it be allowed, as long as it does not hurt anyone.
Tony, USA

With the results my team have had of late, I would have no objection to replacing a few of the staff with a witch doctors. I would even contribute if they would help me with my lottery tickets.
Baz, UK

Some sort of belief is necessary in football, be it belief in one's self, the team, God or gods. The belief works like faith by creating a channel for focus and better performance.
Beshe, United Kingdom

Funny though, was it not the former England manager, Glenn Hoddle, who hired a healer to help his players in the 1998 World Cup. This is not only an African thing. Everyone has their own versions of lucky charms.
James, UK

Juju should be banned from football

Segun Sofola, Nigeria

The universal law of harvest applies: you can only reap what you sow. The skill, speed, accuracy and intelligence of the likes of Thierry Henry, Zidane, and Beckham can not be the product of juju. They are products of natural potentials developed over years of commitment and self-discipline.
Tunde Bello, Nigeria / England

I think you guys know that bringing juju into football can destroy the beauty of this game, I don't encourage its introduction because the effect, though maybe positive initially, would end up ruining the game because it will not promote hard work and would not help bring through talents who are gifted enough to play the game. Juju should be banned from football.
Segun Sofola, Nigeria

Mr Kennedy from Northern Ireland is clearly not a diplomat. We must respect the beliefs of these nations. Witchcraft is part of the fabric in Africa. Unfortunately, due to cynicism and basic science, it can never be proven that it bears any influence on a match. However, it is not entirely unreasonable to suggest that an anti-witchcraft law be considered by Fifa.
Nathan Hamer, Wales

Wayne Kennedy (Northern Ireland) - Most people in Africa don't have TVs, and won't know what a horror movie is even if you paid them. For many, witchcraft is real and a part of everyday life. Respect other people's realities, however absurd it may sound to you. Next time you watch TV, try something like Discovery Channel to get an inkling of an idea about other people's cultures and customs.

I agree juju doesn't belong in sport - does anything except playing the game? Just a question - do your football teams pray before an important match? Do they cross themselves as their national anthem is being played? Does that type of juju have anything positive to offer sport?
Carina Mac, South Africa

I don't see any harm

Gaffer, Ireland

Africa is full of juju but I believe that can only affect believers. Today's football has gone beyond trust or believing in juju. When you practice like David Beckman the sky is your limit. So my fellow Africans work and devote yourself to honour your country not by fudu or juju. Football is about commitment and training not juju.
Adekunle Adefogunlo, Nigeria / Netherlands

Ha, ha, ha!! Although I would try anything to get the Baggies promoted!
Ginger Pete, England, B'ham

What a load of codswollop. What goes on in these people's minds that actually believe in this? It's all mind games. How can the use of "magical charms" enhance a team's performance? I think these people have been watching too many horror films on TV.
Wayne Kennedy, Armagh, N. Ireland

Before each game my team always form a huddle, it's not witchcraft but an example of a ritual carried out. I see no harm in it. It does nobody any harm and I don't even think it affects our performance so what's the big deal? If anybody should wish to use witchcraft I don't see any harm as long as it doesn't threaten anyone's security or wellbeing.
Gaffer, Ireland

Will Africans stop this rubbish about witchcraft and football

Charles Dafe, Nigerian in Nottingham

Graham (Edinburgh) - there is a difference between choosing to wear lucky underwear and making it government policy to wear lucky underwear. Once a country's government becomes involved, it's beyond a joke. That's when wars start.
Andrew, NZ

Believe it or not, juju does exist in African football and it has a powerful role. Back home in elementary school we used to organise end of year tournaments. Back in the 80's we were playing our seniors of class six and our teacher promised us a feast if we beat our seniors, so some of my class mates and myself went to see a 'Marabout' (Moslem Juju maker).

The man mixed something with water and asked us to wet our faces, hands and feet with the water and drink some. He also gave some kind of chain to our goalkeeper and asked him to put it around his waist. His last words were: "Do not touch any ball before the game starts". We listened to him and we beat our seniors that day. My cousin who was the goalkeeper for the seniors couldn't believe me scoring against him not once but twice.

Since then we always consulted the man until his death in the late 90's. It's not easy to believe that juju exists in African football if you are not from the continent.
ASEC, USA-Cote d'Ivoire

Witchcraft has nothing to do with football, with proper planning, hard work and training the sky is the limit and for the Super Eagles they should train well. The World Cup is not a small boys game, we need proper training and discipline among the players.
Rotimi Fashakin, Nigeria/ Arizona USA

Will Africans stop this rubbish about witchcraft and football. If it really does work, why has no African Nation won the World Cup, I wonder why Cote d'Ivoire's "magic" has not earned them a World Cup berth. There is simply no alternative to proper planning, hard work and professionalism to complement whatever natural talents that may abound. Ask the French and others.
Charles Dafe, Nigerian in Nottingham

Anything that goes beyond normal understanding is attributed to witchcraft

Richard Chipunza, Norway

Let us be real. If witchcraft really worked in football, the Africans would have won the World Cup several times over. A lot of "witchcraft" appears to play on the psyche of the opponents. Please don't count on witchcraft to defeat Argentina, England or Sweden. Go Super Eagles!!
Ife Sofola, Nigerian in Spain/U.S.A.

I think that it is all about the power of the mind. Witchcraft has been deep rooted in the minds of a lot of Africans for a long time now. Anything that goes beyond normal understanding is attributed to witchcraft.

I think that if there was football in 17th century Europe the story would have been the same. Teams that come up against those reputed to practice witchcraft are already psychologically defeated. I have seen a great many examples of this in my home country, Zambia.
Richard Chipunza, Norway

Well I suppose some will find it funny. In reality it's no more or less funny than the manager in the English league who I seem to remember insisted on taking a leak at the corner flag in the morning of the matches. Then there's also when Barthez had his head kissed before every France game during WC 98?

Finally there's also the various stories of players who always carry out the same ritual before every match (from wearing the same underpants to all sorts of weird things)...the list goes on and on.
Graham, Edinburgh