爱的被告

直播吧07月15日讯 针对克罗地亚1-2不敌葡萄牙的比赛，克罗地亚足协已正式致函国际足联抗议，克罗地亚媒体《晨报》今日获得了克罗地亚足协信函的完整内容。克罗地亚足协致函国际足联信件全文↓本届世界杯再次展现了足球的全球影响力和普及度，正因如此，我们更有必要坚守这项运动的基本价值观：公平公正、体育精神以及平等适用于所有参赛队伍的足球比赛规则。

二 |     Editor's Note: 
In an era of profound global shifts and increasingly complex regional dynamics, a proper understanding of the world must be rooted in "grounded experience" and localized insights. Global Times English edition, in collaboration with the Academy of International and Regional Communication Studies, Communication University of China, is proud to launch "Local Insights," an English-language column dedicated to original, field-based observations.
We invite Chinese scholars and professionals who are studying, conducting exchanges, or working outside China, as well as international students and friends living and studying in China who are familiar with the social contexts of their home countries or third countries, to begin from first-hand field experience and engage with social, cultural, and contemporary issues beyond China. In the fifth article of this column, drawing on her on‑the‑ground experience as a Chinese exchange scholar, the author observes a South Africa Freedom Day memorial gathering, revealing how local politics unfolds through collective singing, dancing, and grassroots participation, while also reflecting on the gap between political liberation and economic justice.
As a PhD student, I am currently on an exchange program at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, with support from the China Scholarship Council. Since arriving here, I have developed a habit of stepping beyond campus whenever possible. Community meetings, municipal events and public gatherings have become a vital way for me to engage with local life. This time, a local friend recommended that I attend a memorial event in Kariega, organized by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in honor of its former president, Phumzile John Gomomo. Beyond that, I had little sense of what kind of gathering I was about to enter.
It was on the way that I noticed the streets were unusually vibrant. Groups of people were dressed in colorful attire, with bright Xhosa headscarves and garments bearing political symbols. My friend then reminded me that it was April 27, which is Freedom Day in South Africa. On this day in 1994, South Africa held its first non-racial election, formally ending apartheid and inaugurating democratic rule. Over the past three decades, Freedom Day commemorates political liberation, while also inviting recurring reflection on whether the promise of freedom has been fully realized. In that sense, Freedom Day marks an important moment for observing contemporary South African politics and social sentiment.
    

    The aerial view of Johannesburg, South Africa Photo: VCG
From street to hall: Entering Freedom Day
The event was scheduled to begin at 10 am, and we arrived shortly before the hour. Yet there were not many people present. Banners of COSATU, the South African Communist Party (SACP), and the African National Congress (ANC) had already been displayed inside the hall, quietly framing the political context of the gathering. Although my understanding was still limited, I could already sense that their presence mattered. COSATU, SACP and ANC represent key forces in South Africa's political landscape, historically linked through the "Tripartite Alliance" formed during the anti-apartheid struggle and sustained in various forms since 1994. I could see that this was not simply a local gathering, but one embedded within a much longer political tradition.
What struck me first was how different the atmosphere was from what I had expected of a political gathering. There was no sense of urgency or visible tension. My friend introduced me around, and we greeted each other through handshakes, embraces and brief conversations, with a familiarity that suggested long-standing connections. Someone also greeted me with "ni hao." The early autumn wind carried a chill that felt almost like winter. However, the mood was unmistakably different. A sense of warmth emerged from the way people related to one another.
We took our seats in the front row. As I looked around, the hall was gradually filling up. I noticed that people wore headscarves, skirts and short-sleeved shirts layered under heavier coats, with ANC insignia visible in various forms. Every time I made eye contact with someone, they would respond with a warm smile. Even as the only foreign face in the hall, I felt no sense of awkwardness or exclusion.
         The author takes a photo with Babalwa Lobishe, Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor and ANC regional chairperson. Photo: Courtesy of He Yue
When music preceded speech
The atmosphere felt far more open than I had imagined. There was no formal signal from a host. Yet, almost imperceptibly, singing and dancing began to fill the space. At first, it was only a few voices. Then others joined. A group of older women stood up, stepping lightly as their bodies moved with the rhythm. Their arms tracing steady patterns in the air, moved with an ease that suggested a deep sense of rhythm. Around them, others began to join in. Someone clapped, someone responded in song, while others stepped forward into the center, aligning themselves with the unfolding rhythm.
Before I fully understood what was happening, someone gently pulled me into the group. I followed, trying to imitate the movements. It didn't take long for me to realize that participation did not depend on learning the steps. Once inside, you were already part of it. 
Meanwhile, a more distinct call began to emerge, repeated at intervals: "Amandla" (Power) "Awethu" (To the People). The words rose above the singing and then dissolved back into it. Song, chant and movement overlapped, making it difficult to distinguish where one ended and another began. At that moment, I found myself wondering: was this a political gathering, or a celebration?
It was not until around midday that the event formally began. Speakers gradually took their places, and the hall shifted into a more structured atmosphere. What I did not expect, however, was that the mayor I had followed on social media was among those arriving. Seeing her there came as a surprise. I didn't expect to see local officials there, let alone find myself within what was clearly part of their political life.
The memorial lecture brought together members of the ANC, alliance partners and the broader community in a moment of reflection and renewed commitment. The gathering honored the enduring legacy of Phumzile John Gomomo and his immense contribution to the struggle for workers' rights and social justice. 
They reflected on Cde John Gomomo as one of the most dedicated worker leaders produced by the Congress Movement, emphasizing unity, organization and ongoing activism as essential to advancing the goals of the democratic movement. Gomomo was an icon in the labor movement. He devoted his entire life to serving workers and is remembered as a hero of the struggle for freedom, democracy and workers' rights. His contributions were situated within the broader historical moment of South Africa's transition to democracy - a transition whose achievements are commemorated each year on Freedom Day, marking the political liberation attained in 1994.
The lecture also raised a question that resonated widely: when political freedom was achieved, did it also translate into economic freedom? Gomomo's legacy was not only invoked as history, but also a lens through which to examine the present.
Speakers highlighted the ongoing challenges facing workers today, including high unemployment and the rising cost of living, which continue to strain working-class households. Against this backdrop, unity, organization and sustained activism were presented not as symbolic gestures, but as necessary responses.
The themes of the lecture aligned closely with the spirit of International Workers' Day, linking past struggles with present realities and ongoing demands. In this sense, the lecture stood not only as a tribute, but also as a call to action, urging those in attendance to carry forward the values, discipline and commitment that defined his life of service.
After each speaker delivered their speech, people rose from their seats, singing and clapping. The officials on stage joined in as well, blurring the distinction between speaker and audience. The atmosphere remained lively, with an almost continuous sense of energy. Gradually, I began to realize that the event was not simply a commemorative one, but rather a form of political practice.

         At a Freedom Day commemoration, participants use song and rhythm to express political memory and labor solidarity. Photo: Courtesy of He YueA moment of presence
What stood out to me was that the mayor mentioned China in her speech. She spoke of the strong relationship between China and South Africa, noting the presence of Chinese automotive companies in Nelson Mandela Bay and expressing hope for further cooperation. After her speech, I was invited to take a photo with her. She shook my hand, welcomed me as an international student in South Africa, and expressed her positive view of China.
I also had a brief exchange with Xolile Nqatha, the provincial secretary of the SACP in Eastern Cape. Reflecting on the history of leftist movements in South Africa, he noted that both the SACP and the Communist Party of China were founded in 1921. He also remarked that it remains rare to see Chinese scholars present at such gatherings. I had not imagined that I would be speaking with government officials, which initially caught me off guard. For me, this brief encounter made China's presence in South Africa feel less like a matter of diplomatic language and more like something embedded in local political life.
The event continued until around 3 pm. As I stepped outside, the surrounding streets were noticeably more crowded. The parking area was nearly full. Roadside vendors were selling clothing marked with political symbols, and media crews remained on site, documenting the scene. People left gradually. Many paused to exchange farewells, embracing one another before leaving, as if the rhythm of the gathering had not yet fully ended.
The experience reshaped my understanding of what a political gathering could be. In a global context where political expression is increasingly fragmented, a mode of public engagement built around rhythm and participation offers a different way of understanding political life. Here, politics did not take shape solely through institutions, procedures or formal speech. It could be serious, yet also warm. It could be articulated through language, but it could just as readily take shape through song, movement and collective response.
This year also marks the 32nd anniversary of the end of apartheid. It represents the restoration of dignity, equality before the law and the collective promise that South Africa would never again be a society governed by exclusion, injustice or oppression. In the community, I saw how residents engaged with the local government, participated in decision-making processes and worked collectively to build safer, more inclusive neighborhoods. For me, the gathering became an entry point into contemporary political life in South Africa, revealing something that cannot be fully grasped from a distance.
The author is a PhD student in African Area Studies at the College of Foreign Languages, Zhejiang Normal University
。正是由于几起引发全球强烈反响的争议性事件，涉及裁判、媒体代表、足球专家和广大公众，我们认为有必要致函贵方，以澄清2026年7月2日在多伦多举行的克罗地亚对阵葡萄牙的世界杯1/16决赛中，足球比赛规则和国际足联协议在裁判决策过程中的适用情况。在那场比赛的下半场，克罗地亚有三个进球被取消，均是在越位判定延迟后作出的。此外，经VAR介入后，葡萄牙获得了一个点球并扳平比分，尽管主裁判当时就在球员附近，亲眼看到了争议对抗，并且认为那不足以构成点球。因此，这一情况并不属于“严重漏判”。考虑到这种对抗在禁区内几乎每场比赛都会常规出现，我们同样确信这也不能合理地被视为主裁判的“清晰且明显的错误”。换言之，VAR审查的两项基本标准均未满足，根据VAR规程，VAR既无权也无义务召唤主裁判到场边进行回放审查。

三 | 尤其具有争议的是裁判埃斯科斯在第103分钟取消格瓦迪奥尔进球的决定，理由是马里奥·帕沙利奇越位。国际足联的官方声明称：“比赛用球内置的技术记录了马塔诺维奇的触球，这使得裁判能够正确判定越位并取消格瓦迪奥尔的进球。”与此同时，国际足联官网关于越位规则的官方解释中指出：“头发只有在影响球的运动或轨迹时才被视为身体的一部分。

四 | 这可能只在大量头发接触的情况下才成立，例如头顶的发髻。”因此，目前尚不清楚裁判取消克罗地亚进球的依据，究竟是仅仅因为马塔诺维奇可能用一根发丝碰到了球，还是因为他认定这样的触碰影响了球的运动或轨迹，而这从公开可得的录像中无论如何也无法得出结论。此外，所有可获得的录像均清楚显示，球在经过马塔诺维奇头部旁边后，方向、轨迹、速度或旋转均未发生任何变化。换句话说，他并未触球，因此根本谈不上越位。我们认为，传感器记录到的几乎不可察觉的振动竟然能决定如此重要比赛的胜负，这在根本上是错误的。

五 | 我们不相信足球、球迷、球员、裁判、我们的运动精神乃至国际足联本身，能从相信技术胜过肉眼可见的事实中获益。正如世界各地人们的反应所示，不仅仅是克罗地亚球迷，几乎没有人相信马塔诺维奇碰到了球。

六 | 当技术试图让公众相信相反的情况时，许多人将这样的判罚称为“公然抢劫”或声称“技术正在毁掉足球”，这是完全可以理解的。这些广泛的负面反应无益于国际足联的声誉，也无助于增强公众对技术创新的信任。

七 | 这一点尤其成问题，因为我们坚信技术在足球中扮演着重要且受欢迎的角色，但不是以这种方式。整个情况因以下问题而变得更加复杂：如果传感器数据毫无疑问地确认了触球，而VAR团队也无可争议地确定了越位，那么为什么裁判还要被叫到场边查看监视器？在这种情况下，这纯粹是一个事实性决定，VAR有权独立作出裁决。反之，如果裁判确实被叫去查看，他到底查看了什么？哪些具体的画面让他得出马塔诺维奇触球或影响了球运动的结论？此外，可获得的电视画面清楚地显示，通过屏幕底部的数据显示，标记所谓触球的“波峰”出现在球到达据称触球的克罗地亚进攻球员之前很久。这样的画面根本不能被视为做出如此重要决定的足够可靠证据。因此，我们请求国际足联向克罗地亚足协提供相应的VAR室录像，以便我们能够确定为何那个“波峰”出现在球甚至还未接近马塔诺维奇的时候。

八 | 我们完全清楚，对这些事件的任何事后解释都无法改变对阵葡萄牙队的比赛结果。我们尊重葡萄牙队，并祝贺他们晋级十六强。然而，鉴于足球比赛，尤其是世界杯，受到全球数十亿人充满激情与情感的关注，我们认为有必要进一步加强人们对裁判工作的信任，特别是在现代技术的应用标准和方法方面，以防止技术被错误应用或违背其初衷。

九 | 本场比赛中发生的一切，尤其是最终的越位判罚，引起了全世界球迷的极大不满，这损害了本届历史性世界杯期间的足球运动。因此，我们认为国际足联应当对本场比赛的所有争议情况进行彻底分析，并对直接影响这场结果的裁判判罚提供完整解释。虽然这样的解释无法让克罗地亚国家队在莫德里奇非凡的国家队生涯中再有一次机会在世界最大舞台上争取伟大成就，但我们真诚希望，通过更清晰的规程和改进的程序，未来能够防止类似的不公正且本质上非足球化的判罚，在这种判罚中，传感器变得比肉眼可见的事实更重要。遗憾的是，此类判罚在球迷中引发了巨大失望，从球场上的克罗地亚球迷到全世界的足球爱好者、媒体代表、评论员和广大公众。我们坚信这类情况在未来是可以避免的，正是基于此，我们决定以此方式致信贵方，尽管我们完全清楚，任何解释都无法减轻我们球员和球迷的泪水、悲伤与失望。鉴于上述所有情况，我们恭敬地请求贵方认真考虑我们所提出的问题和建议。我们将拭目以待国际足联是否会作出回应，而对克罗地亚未来的判罚如何，对我们来说更为重要。