Australian rules football in Africa
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Australian rules football in Africa is currently only played at an organised level in South Africa, although there have been attempts to introduce the sport in other African nations.
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[edit] South Africa
Australian rules football had been played in South Africa since around the time of the Boer War, although there was a significant amount of time between World War I and the 1990s when the sport was not played at any level. In recent times, South Africa has been home to an increased amount of effort in introducing the sport both from the Australian Football League and the South African Government. The sport is now played widely in the North West Province and there are plans to increase registered playing numbers nation-wide to 20,000 by 2008. The sport is controlled by the AFL South Africa.
[edit] Kenya
There have been efforts to start the sport at junior level since 2004[1]. Gus Horsey from the Baltimore Washington Eagles from the United States Australian Football League visited the country in February and September, running several footy clinics and organising a grand final between four local teams in Nairobi. During Gus' second visit to Kenya to coach Australian Rules, he regularly trained over 100 kids after school with help from local soccer coaches[2], although plans through USFooty Kids to continue the clinics in future did not go ahead and the sport is not currently played competitively.
[edit] Senegal
Australian rules football was played sporadically in Senegal during the 1990s, after Darwin-based Mark Moretti visited Dakar for two months in 1991. Moretti had introduced the sport to local children originally as an example of overseas culture, but there was interest from both the children and some local soccer administrators in continuing the sport. When Moretti returned in 1997 there had not been any progress, so he organised some footballs and other material to be sent to Senegal and the country was represented at the International Australian Football Council AGM in Darwin in 1999[3]. Around this time, two teams were established, named the Crocodiles and the Hares, but the sport has since disappeared in the country.
[edit] Zimbabwe
The sport of Australian rules football has not yet been successfully established in Zimbabwe, although an attempt was made in 2004 when schools clinics were held by Australian Larry Ferrier[4]. Ferrier had plans for the creation of the Zimbabwe Australian Football Association, in conjunction with the International Australian Football Council, based around a junior program which could have had a senior Zimbabwean side at the 2008 Australian Football International Cup in Melbourne[5], but this did not eventuate and Australian rules is not currently regularly played in the country.
[edit] Other countries
[edit] Ghana
Non-organised Australian football at junior level featuring locals has been played in Ghana in 2007[6].
[edit] Uganda
Non-organised Australian football at junior level featuring locals has been played in Uganda in 2006[7].
[edit] References
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