
On Monday of last week, Africans were protesting on the streets of Guangzhou after one of their own was killed after being taken into police custody. A day later, Didier Drogba, international footballing superstar and a hero across Africa, announced that he’d be joining Shanghai Shenhua in July. At the end of his statement, in what many may have viewed as a throw away sentence, Drogba declared that he wanted to “help improve the links that China and Africa share”. Knowing the growingly connected, but often tense relationship that exists between Africa and China, there is a lot to this statement. Drogba the footballing megastar, the peace maker, the humanitarian appears to be setting a major off-field task for himself, but if he’s even partially successful, he could truly add to his legacy.
Drogba’s impact on the pitch is sure to be massive, but its what he might be able to do off it that’s the most intriguing. While Nicolas Anelka made headlines for joining the CSL, he is not a superstar on the same level as Drogba, nor is he involved in as many off-field activities as Drogba. While Anelka is known as “Le Sulk”, Drogba’s known for his charisma (and his diving). He has been credited with playing a crucial role in ending the civil war and bringing peace to his country, he is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program, and his foundation is active in building hospitals and schools in Africa.
Brandon Chemers aka B. Cheng aka A Modern Lei Feng – is a name which may be familiar to many in the Chinese blogosphere. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for Wild East Football and is one of the lonely souls writing about Chinese football in English for the last 10 years. Chemers' credentials are second to none – his former blog focused not only on the fortunes of his beloved Beijing Guoan FC, but a multitude of other aspects of Beijing life. He’s deservedly built a reputation in the Chinese blogosphere as an insightful observer of not only Chinese football, but also the wider picture of life in modern China and its many layers. For WEF, beyond writing about Guoan, he often focuses on fan culture and the business of Chinese football.

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