Many of you have heard of such a thing as "gestureEffenberg ". What is it? This is the name of the phallic symbol among football fans. In 1994, a crowd of fans booed Stefan Effenberg, to which he showed them his middle finger.
Effenberg's gesture to the fans
Midfielder of the German football team showedphallic gesture in the 75th minute of the game between Korea and Germany. The match was held in the United States. The fans got angry at the football player because he played sluggishly. 15 minutes before the end of the game Effenberg replaced. Leaving the field, he heard in his address whistling and impartial statements. This offended the player, and he showed the fans a corresponding gesture. Interestingly, fans and the public remember the incident itself more than the game of the team.
Later, Effenberg wrote the book “I showed thiseveryone! ”, where he spoke about his football career and about this incident. The book described that the trainer Effenberg broke off relations with a footballer that night because he didn’t want any extra provocations from the press and fans. Stefan Effenberg was expelled from the national team and spent only two friendly matches four years later. After some time, the player was forgiven and asked to return to football, but he himself did not express such a desire. By the way, in Germany a fine was imposed for the demonstration of an indecent gesture.
It is considered very indecent and characteristic formarginal medium is this "Effenberg gesture". Why this is called, in fact, is understandable, but with this it is possible to argue. In fact, the gesture appeared much earlier, back in the ancient world.
Effenberg gesture research
Десмонд Моррис, английский антрополог, считал, that the gesture symbolizing the demonstration of the male sexual organ is one of the most ancient. In antiquity, he meant a predisposition to passive homosexuality, or symbolized the direct threat of rape.
Effenberg's gesture: history
In ancient Rome, the middle finger was called shameless,or shameful. Mention of his demonstration can be seen in historical and philosophical writings. Caligula, the emperor of Rome, loved to shock the public. People who came to express their reverence, he forced to kiss his middle finger. Diogenes showed an indecent gesture, expressing his attitude towards Demosthenes. The Persian people perceived the gesture of the middle finger raised upwards as a sign of protection from the evil eye and evil spirits.
Theory of the appearance of gesture
In the Middle Ages, such a gesture of Effenberg (photo yousee in the article) meant the charge of homosexual relations. In the 14th century, captured English soldiers were cut off by their index and middle fingers. This was done so that they did not have the opportunity to shoot at enemies with a bow. Later, after winning the battle of Azencourt, the British soldiers showed the French middle fingers as a sign that they were not cut off.
Other theories of gesture
Существует и другая версия.The French boasted about their ability to shoot a crossbow. As a result, after the defeat, the British showed the opponents middle and index finger as a mockery of their crossbowmen.
On the island of Sicily for theft of a person lostmiddle finger, if the crime was more severe, then hand to the elbow. Thus, the person showing the middle finger, demonstrated his honesty and non-participation in theft.
Some scientists believe that the demonstration of aggression through a phallic gesture is characteristic not only of humans. Some species of monkeys show these gestures to each other in moments of aggression.
Gesture of various nations
The French call this gesture “hand of honor”. One arm is bent at the elbow, the other is placed on it in the fold area.
The British demonstrate a phallic gesture in this way: they show the enemy the “Victoria” sign, while the palm is turned towards itself.
In Arab countries, the equivalent of the Effenberg gesture is a clenched fist with the thumb set aside.
Residents of Sri Lanka squeeze the palm, turning it up, and raise up the index finger.
In the United States of America the indecent gesture was"Imported" by Italian immigrants in the XIX century. In 1886, during a team baseball meeting, players showed a phallic gesture to their opponents. He meant malice and hatred. In 1976, the phallic gesture was demonstrated by the President of the United States of America, Rockefeller, in response to the whistle of the crowd. In the state of California, local taxi drivers thus expressed their disappointment or bad luck.
The most memorable cases of the demonstration of the gesture of Effenberg in the football environment
In the history of football, athletes have repeatedly demonstrated a phallic symbol, but only a few of them were noted in the press.
In 2012, Denis Garmash in the match between Shakhtarand Dynamo Kyiv showed an indecent gesture to the opponent’s fans, which caused a big scandal. The Dynamo midfielder was punished for this with disqualification for several matches.
In 2009, the Swiss judge Massimo Buzaka in response to fans' discontent showed the crowd the middle finger. He later apologized, but was still disqualified.
In 2011, Ukrainian goalkeeper Alexander Rybka showed Effenberg's gesture to fans of the opposing team. Such an act went unpunished.
Тренер Фабио Капелло в 2007 году, после окончания match, twice showed a phallic gesture to the fans of Real. Such an act was not appreciated, and Capello was forced to pay a fine. He later explained that for nearly five years he was being followed by a couple of crazy fans, an offensive gesture related to them.
In 1997, Alessandro Nesta showed the English striker an indecent mark at the end of the game. The match ended in a draw, the British reached the World Cup final.
In 2011, Ronaldo in response to an abusiveThe behavior of Bosnia and Herzegovina fans showed a phallic gesture. The boorish behavior of the fans started back at the airport, during the game they tried to blind the football player with roof lasers.
In the same year, Luis Suárez "greeted" the fans of "Fulham", for which he was disqualified. Prior to this incident, the football player spoke impartially about Patrice Evra.
In 2007, Van Bommel showed a characteristic gesture to the fans, running along the stands after scoring a goal. Subsequently, the football player apologized for his behavior.
In 2009, the Italian Paolo Maldini, in response to the insulting outflow of fans, showed a characteristic gesture towards the stands. This was his last game as captain.
Attitude towards the Effenberg gesture today
Ira Robbins, teacher and professorUniversity of Washington, writes that over a thousand-year history, this gesture has lost its apparent phallic symbolism, and now its demonstration speaks rather of aggression towards an opponent, protest, and the demand to be left behind, retire, leave alone. Many western stars, wanting to interrupt the shooting, put the middle finger to the camera lens. Britney Spears often shows her middle finger when journalists start bothering her.
In Milan, a large monument was erected on the square witha phallic gesture image. It is called "Suddenly - L.O.V.E". In Florence, the exhibition shows the middle finger of Galileo. After the execution of the scientist, the vandals tried to steal the ring with a finger. As a result, he was cut off. The exhibit has survived to this day.
