One would have to take the force of all the comment over the weekend that the murderous attack on the Togo team coach that occurred at the Africa Cup of Nations on 08 January in the Angolan province of Cabinda last week should not be seen as a harbinger for the World Cup in South Africa in June. Physically, Angola and South Africa are a considerable distance apart.

And yet, in the infosecurity community there has been some hubbub around this year’s World Cup about the target-richness of South Africa this year.

Symantec has seen a surge in malicious activity  in South Africa as its broadband scales up to meet the challenge of international events of the order of the World Cup. The company has now launched a site on this topic, with an interesting podcast .

Because so many African players now play in the top European leagues  — Togo’s Adebayor is as familiar to Man City supporters as Colin Bell once was – this type of event will get extensive coverage in the West, in ways which it might not have done in the past. The African Cup of Nations and the World Cup will of necessity be targets, alike, for internet criminals and armed gangs who may or may not be politically motivated.

Hopefully, the people’s game will prove stronger, and there can be no argument for not holding its premier tournament in the South. We remember Pele’s sublime Brazil of 1970, but the thugs who ran that country are best consigned to oblivion.

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