Keeping the Beautiful Game Alive
By Adam Nash
Sport brings people together. Never has that been made clearer than during the pandemic, when clubs and facilities across the world were forced to close, nets were removed, and grass was left to grow on pitches.
Fans were even banned from attending games. The electric atmospheres in the grounds disappeared. During the live coverage on TV, all you could hear were the shouts from the players echoing around the empty 50,000-seater stadiums. It is a strange and eerie memory from those days of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns.
You do not realize the true value of something until it is gone. For that reason, I decided that when I arrived in Korea last year, I would make it my mission to join a sports team as soon as possible.
So, on the 12th of July, two weeks out of quarantine, I set my alarm for 3 a.m. and made my way down to Nirvana to watch the World Cup Final between England and Italy, hoping first for a historic England win, and second to see if I could ask around about joining a local football team.
Sadly, the England victory never came, but I accomplished my second goal within minutes of walking in, when I heard two fellow Yorkshiremen talking at the bar.
The very brief introductions went like this…
“What’s your name?”
“Do you play football?”
“Do you want to join our team?”
And that was how I joined Gwangju Inter FC.
Gwangju Inter FC is the local, foreigner-friendly football team that was formed back in 2002. Now, 20 years on, it is still going strong thanks to members such as Sungje (성제), who has been helping run the club for the last four years.
“At first I joined just as a member, like everyone else does,” explains Sungje. “But then as people left, I started to help out more because I can speak both English and Korean, so it’s easier for me to organize things, sort out the money, and talk to the KFA.”
Every Sunday at 2 p.m. – come rain, shine, or scorching summer heat – players from countries like Canada, Iran, the US, Uzbekistan, the UK, and Korea take to the pitch to show off their skills for a couple of hours. Like all sports, there can be a competitive edge to the game, but the team does not take itself too seriously, hence its slogan “You’ll Never Drink Alone.”
Over the years, Gwangju Inter FC has competed against other foreigner teams based across Korea and helped set up a yearly football tournament. The team even won a couple of trophies along the way.
“It’s become a big thing that every year we have a big foreigner tournament,” says Sungje. “When we first set it up, it was really hard, but year by year it gets easier to arrange. We’ve had about 10 tournaments so far. Usually, we have them in Gwangju, but we’ve also held them in places like Busan and Daegu. We got a fundraiser from the government office as well, so it’s now even easier to organize.”
Like every sports team, when the coronavirus spread across the world, Gwangju Inter FC faced some difficult challenges to keep the club together. Before the pandemic, the team had a year-long contract to play on an 11-a-side school pitch, but when the schools closed their facilities, Gwangju Inter FC was homeless.
“The rules kept changing all the time, and it was also difficult to get the number of players we needed. Usually, every year there are a lot of new members joining the team, but since Covid-19, people have not been coming out, and not as many people are arriving in the country. But we still managed to keep it going by moving to a 5-a-side pitch.”
Not only has the team kept together, but Sungje even managed to keep the yearly tournaments running. Last year’s tournament in Daegu involved teams from Busan and Seoul and helped raise money for M Dream, a local orphanage.
“We take a fee from each player for the tournament to raise the money. It’s not a lot, but it helps and is thoughtful.”
Finally, after two years, the signs of recovery are being seen across the world, and things are once again looking up for the team. At the end of May, they finally moved back to the full-size school pitch. Old members are returning, and some new faces are signing up.
Sports clubs like Gwangju Inter FC are vital for the expat community. They provide the perfect opportunity to meet new people, socialize, and have fun. They help newcomers settle in quickly and give people a chance to get outside, keep fit, and stay active. Hopefully, as restrictions lift, local teams like Gwangju Inter FC will continue to grow.
If you are interested in finding out more about the team, you can contact them through their Facebook or Instagram page.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/70583932242/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gwangju_inter?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
The Author
Adam is a proud Yorkshireman, born and bred in Sheffield, England. He loves traveling, football, and playing music. He has been a drummer for over 20 years but recently picked up the guitar, as a drum kit will not fit in his apartment. Instagram: @adam_nash62