The quintessentially French game of petanque -- think sun-dappled village squares, cool glasses of cloudy pastis, old men in berets -- is rapidly being caught up by globalization.
Thailand got as far as the semifinals at the world petanque championship here last weekend, the second time the country, the strongest Asian contenders in the game, had reached that stage.
Players from as far afield as China, Argentina, the US and Japan descended on Brussels for the annual world championships of a game which for many embodies much about the Gallic spirit.
PHOTO: AP
"There's a very interesting trend, with the Asian countries becoming very strong," said Chinka Steel of the Australian delegation at the games, which brought together players from some 60 nations.
"I think they're introducing a new slightly less aggressive style of petanque, but very much aimed at dominating the game," the 61-year-old lawyer from Hanging Rock said.
At the professional level petanque is a fiercely competitive sport, which is already included on the rosta of some international tournaments and is even vying to be included in the Olympic Games.
While France's victory was their fourth straight world championship win -- adding to the 20 over the last 40 years -- there is little doubting the growing challenge from overseas.
And not only from the francophone world: In Brussels the growing anglophone presence was much in evidence, including the language used on team strips, as the sport seeks greater international stature. For some keen to promote the game in English-speaking countries, the image is crucial if more people are to take up the sport.
"In general the impression is not of a French game but more of an all-male game," said Anthony Peter of Singapore's four-man team in Brussels. "We're trying to change that impression."
Others also say there have been image problems in the past for more political reasons linked to France -- New Zealander Chris Priestley says the French attack on a Greenpeace ship in Auckland harbor in 1985 didn't help.
"When the Rainbow Warrior and those things happened it slowed down a bit because there was a little bit of anti-French feeling," he said, adding that French nuclear tests in the south Pacific in the 1990s "didn't help either."
Thailand's Yongyuth Boonyaprapatsara meanwhile denies that the sport is seen as particularly French in his homeland.
"Soccer is not a Thai word, but we play it, tennis is not a Thai word. It's just another game," said the 72-year-old, vice chairman of the Thai petanque federation, which is preparing to host the championships in 2007.
Closer to home, some complain that the game's image is not the only problem. In the UK membership of the national association has dropped off of late, despite the country's close ties with its Gallic neighbors. Mike Pegg, who is Britain's only international petanque umpire, blames official funding policy.
"If you're football or cricket or rugby and you're winning, they're going to give you a load of money ... but we're always knocked back because we're a minority sport," he said.
For France, the growing global challenge is clear. But French delegation member Jean-Yves Loulon shrugs off any sense of alarm.
"It's true that a few years ago France dominated the game. Now the gap is beginning to be reduced, because some countries are making enormous progress. The Asian teams take it very seriously," he said.
But he added: "We welcome the fact that petanque is being taken up abroad."
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez was dropped from Liverpool’s win against West Ham because of a training-ground row with a member of his coaching staff. The Liverpool head coach on Sunday last week said that Nunez was absent from the 2-1 victory at Anfield, having felt unwell during training the day before, although the striker sat behind the substitutes throughout the game. Speculation has been rife that the Uruguay international, whom Slot criticized for his work rate against Wolves and Aston Villa in February, was left out for disciplinary reasons. Asked on Friday to clarify the situation, Slot said: “He
RSS