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Responses to Racism in Football
In the past two weeks, two high profile footballers have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. First Liverpool’s Luis Suarez was convicted of racially abusing Patrice Evra, given an eight match suspension and fined a paltry £40,000. Then it was announced that England and Chelsea captain, John Terry, would face criminal charges for allegedly racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, the brother of his England centre back partner, Rio.
As the country desperately attempts to eradicate racism from football, the involvement of two such high profile footballers in scandals is debilitating. John Terry, icon to millions, is no stranger to the headlines. Since the club’s defeat in the Champions League final in 2008, Terry has been embroiled in a high profile affair with a teammate’s partner, has been photographed parking in a disabled space before enjoying an extended lunch and has even allegedly arranged unofficial Chelsea tours for money, despite weekly wages of over £100,000. His alleged involvement in another embarrassing incident once more prompts a country to question his role as both captain of a national team and one of the biggest clubs in the country. Yet whilst the country’s legal foundation encourages a person to be considered innocent until found guilty, the clubs unequivocal support seems misplaced. That the CPS has taken the decision to prosecute suggests at least some incident has taken place, whilst Chelsea’s failure to launch their own investigation into the event risks condoning racism. The club should be the first line of defence, not a cushion of support to the accused. Chelsea, like Liverpool, risks putting the player and team’s results before the greater good.
Whilst the jury may be out on Terry, it has convicted Suarez. He has not been condemned by his club however, but been merely cast as the victim of an unjust punishment as the football club’s propaganda mill has roared into life. Teammates, past players and the manager Kenny Dalglish have all lined up to plead Suarez’s innocence, pointing to his ignorance as a supposedly sufficient excuse. However, the most disgraceful of all attempts to support Suarez was his teammate’s unanimous decision to wear shirts displaying his name in the warm-up to their match. In wearing Suarez shirts, the players and the clubs ignore not only the punishment but the racial abuse itself. The decision to wear Suarez shirts was then replicated by the club’s fans, illustrating the extent of the club’s influence over a huge fan base. The football club have the right to oppose the validity of the punishment if they have grounds, but they do have the right to turn racism into a public circus, and completely undermine the governing body’s decision.
The FA’s major attempt to condemn racism has failed. It has failed because Liverpool’s manager and past and present players have attacked the decision in a disgraceful and public manner. Would they have reacted in such a way if it had been a low profile reserve player? The worrying truth is that when the player is so important, as Suarez and John Terry are to their clubs, heinous actions are side-lined, because the club’s success comes first. Liverpool have set a worrying precedent in their behaviour; they have completely undermined all the attempts to kick racism out of football. The FA must now set their own precedent by increasing Suarez’s punishment, docking the club points and fining all parties. The football pitch is not an excluded place, but a modern theatre watched by millions across the globe. Those who assault, who abuse on it, must be penalised to the maximum degree, because football is much more than a game.
Agreed.
By Edward on 6.1.2012
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There's this weird misconception that the "racist label" is reserved only for repeat offenders or supremacists, when that's not the case at all.
If you make a racist comment towards a person of colour, then you are racist. Simple. You can't separate the words or the actions from the person. When you are in a position of privilege and you commit an act of prejudice, you don't get to reap the benefits of simply being or having said or done "ignorant" things...because it's so much more than that.
It also makes very little sense to give Suarez (or anyone who has committed a similar offence) the benefit of the doubt simply because some people think that Suarez's "bout" with racism was just a one time thing. If he was bold enough to utter such comments less than 3 months ago, he couldn't possibly have already received (much less understood) the education that he needs to, for lack of a better phrase, stop being racist.
Unlearning your sense of entitlement when in position of privilege is lengthy and ongoing process. It can't be done overnight.
By Kuba on 6.1.2012
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To present the case in the black-and-white terms that you have is unfair. Liverpool players wore shirts in support of Suarez some days ago, at a time when the case was still up in the air. We also have to remember that Glen Johnson was among the players donning the shirt, which tells us something. I think the club's support of Suarez was more about saying "he is not a racist" rather than denying what he said. To suggest that the success of the club was the only reason for their support of Suarez is very cynical. If you have a player, who you are sure is not a racist, accused of racism, of course you are going to show some kind of support.
Of course, whether it was "ignorance" or "cultural differences", there is no excuse. I have always loathed racism in any form, be it obvious or more subtle. It is unacceptable and it is right that Suarez be punished. Liverpool should have thought more carefully about how they reacted to the case when it was still unfolding. Dalglish especially probably said too much.
The Terry verdict will be very interesting...
By Edward on 4.1.2012
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