THE LION OF BURMA

A few months ago, I was compelled to write about a young Kenyan who ended his life after he saw his favorite soccer team lose at the English Premiere League. Like with every religion, football has its extremists. And like with every religion, it is bound to emulate new followers worldwide, especially in territories with a growing economy. So it is no surprise to see that soccer is conquering hearts and minds in former Burma. Far from the spotlights of the World Cup, the Yangon United Football Club, also called The Lions, are building their reputation in the local leagues. Sponsored by Air Bagan and AGD Bank, YUFC is owned by Tay Za, a prominent Burmese businessman with as much a bad reputation with the USA and the EU as an immense respect from his loyal 40,000 full-time staffers (Htoo Group, Air Bagan, tourism, infrastructure, mobile phone services are part of his commendable portfolio).

Founded in 2009, the YUFC is one of the nine professional football clubs competing for the Myanmar National League (MNL) title and has rapidly ascended to secure their first ever championship in 2011 and 2012, and qualifying for the 2013 AFC Cup (but didn't pass the Round 16 against East Bengal FC). These wins are attribuable to the vision of its owner. Tay Za dreams big for his team, and has all the business connections to make it happen. During the 2010 season, he built them an artificial turf football pitch and a top class gymnasium, making it the first gym among the Myanmar National League clubs. He recruited foreign players: defender Alexander (5), strikers Sezar (13) and Emerson Luiz (20). He launched the club's Google App of YUFC, upgraded the website and Facebook page, and produced loads of merchandise. This is football business model by the book. And Tay Za rules.

The portrait of the businessman wouldn't be complete without mentioning the charity work that Tay Za and his companies provided in emergency relief supplies to the survivors of Cyclone Nargis in Bogalay Township, Ayeyarwady Region. His company spent over US$ 8.0 million for the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, monasteries, and government offices in Bogalay Township (at a time when Myanmar was under sanctions). He established Htoo Foundation to conduct and assist in health, education, culture, regional development, preservation of the national habitat and offer emergency assistance if a natural disaster should occur. Htoo Foundation is now actively participating in humanitarian works and providing help in the promotion of education, culture, health care and regional development in remote areas of the country. Htoo Foundation established vocational schools in remote areas and is helping to promote the living standards of the local people by creating job opportunities for them.

For soccer, as with every religion, past the realm of idols and followers (and the idiocracy that lead kenyans and other fanatics to end their life for a team's lost game in a televised sport competition), there is the stark reality of business conglomerates or moguls. The pages of tabloids and newspapers of Europe are filled with articles about dubious investors, scandals about club buy-outs by exotic billionaires. And Myanmar has its own Bernard Tapie. Tay Za is a character bigger than life, on top of the food chain, the archetypical winner. He is the Lion of Burma.