The Copa America will be great, but its revolutionary spirit is dead
In 1916, as the planet was consumed by World War I, Argentina hosted the inaugural edition of the Copa America, inviting Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile to play in a six-fixture mini-league - then known as the South American Championship - aimed at celebrating 100 years of independence from Spanish colonisation.
Uruguay emerged as the competition's first-ever champion, but not before its final match against Argentina was abandoned after supporters rioted and set fire to one of the stands, forcing the game to be played one day later. That incident aside, it was a phenomenally successful tournament that paved the way for the creation of CONMEBOL, South American football's governing body.
Often forgotten, however, are the circumstances under which Uruguay claimed the title.
At the time, Uruguay was the only country in the world with black players on its national team. La Celeste took the pitch at the first-ever Copa America with Isabelino Gradin and Juan Delgado, both of whom were great-grandsons of slaves.
While Gradin was renowned for his astonishing speed, Delgado was talked about because of the joy he took in teasing opponents. Eduardo Galeano wrote in "Soccer in Sun and Shadow" that Delgado would, as he sent the ball high, tell the other team: "Pick me that bunch of grapes." He would, as he shot, tell the 'keeper: "Jump for it, the sand it soft."
Gradin's speed and Delgado's antics weren't enjoyed by all. After Uruguay thrashed Chile 4-0 in its the competition's first fixture, the Chilean delegation insisted the match be disallowed "because Uruguay had two Africans in the lineup." The complaint fell upon deaf ears, however, since Gradin was born in the Uruguayan city Montevideo and Delgado was born in the Uruguayan town of Florida.
Uruguay's willingness to tap into all corners of its society inevitably worked in the country's favour. Brazil, for example, entered the 1921 South American Cup with no brown-skinned players after Epitacio Pessoa, Brazil's then-president, decreed the team's players would be white for patriotic reasons; the result was two losses in three games.
The introductory Copa America was built to celebrate of independence and defined by a Uruguayan team that refused to be confined by racial barriers. It was, simply put, revolutionary. Yet, for some reason, the Copa America Centenario, a special edition of the tournament designed to mark 100 years of the Copa America, shows no inclination to pay tribute to its roots.
This isn't to suggest that the Copa America Centenario won't be great - far from it. As Sunday's draw illustrated, there are plenty of reasons to look forward to the competition. Chile and Argentina will meet in a rematch of the unforgettable 2015 Copa America final, and it will be fascinating to see if the United States Men's National Team, given a top seeding, can escape from a group that includes Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.
Related: Copa America Centenario draw: Argentina to meet Chile; USA stuck in difficult group
That said, there's something very odd about the failure to acknowledge the Copa America's revolutionary history as it turns 100 years old. Anniversaries, particularly of such a large magnitude, are meant to be a time of reflection in which progress and evolution are analysed. Why the Copa America, with a rich history of providing a platform for freedom and justice, is neglecting to address its progressive past is anyone's guess.
The Copa America Centenario's $300 ticket prices, meanwhile, will price supporters out of witnessing an event that was historically inclusive, and its opening fixture will take place in Santa Clara, California - which was coincidentally founded by Spanish settlers.