In this day and age (not that it ever was ok) it is totally unacceptable to disparage any person because of their race. The fact that LeBron James is being vilified in some quarters as a sportsperson who is black, is beyond my ability to comprehend. In fact it makes me so angry that he, and many other like him, are subjected to racial abuse it makes me boil. Three of my favorite soccer players over the years, Thierry Henry of France, Ruud Gullit of the Netherlands and England's John Barnes, were all subject to racial epithets during their playing days. It cannot and must not be allowed to continue.
In 2004, a Spanish television crew filmed Spanish national team head coach Luis Aragonés trying to motivate José Antonio Reyes by making offensive and racist references to Reyes' Arsenal club teammate, Thierry Henry. Aragones said in translation, "Show that you're better than that black shit". The incident caused uproar in the British media who wanted Aragonés sacked, but the Spanish federation showed their true colors by doing nothing about it, which is pathetic. John Barnes, was taunted by his own Liverpool fans, but put it all behind him and went on to become one of England's greatest players, and the man I most wanted to watch play in his prime.
Blackpool player Jason Euell, who was sitting on the substitutes bench during a match with Stoke City in 2009 was racially abused by a Stoke fan. This person was ejected from the stadium and subsequently arrested by Staffordshire Police. Blackpool manager Ian Holloway, who had to restrain Euell, was furious in his post-match interview, saying:
"We are human beings and Jason is a footballer. The color of his skin shouldn't matter. It was disgusting. The stewards believed what Jason said, got the bloke out and I hope he is banned for life. (He is) an absolute disgrace of a human being. I thought those days had gone. Jason was just sat in the dugout at the time. I saw his reaction and I had to calm him down. It's absolutely disgraceful."
Euell, who received an official apology from Stoke City, later said: "It did hurt. I felt I had to stand up for all colors and creeds and show that we won't accept it. I'm proud that I made a stand. It was a shock to hear what came out of the guy's mouth. Racism in football is not dead and buried but it's still a shock to hear that kind of thing in close proximity. There were people near the idiot who didn't agree with it, but there were others who turned a blind eye, which was disappointing."
In the wake of the incident, Tottenham Hotspur's fantastic manager Harry Redknapp called for fans who racially abuse players to be sent to jail: "That is disgusting – there's no place for that in the game. Surely we can't have that sort of behavior now? Anyone who does it should be put in prison – not banned from football. Stick them where they belong, in the nut-house. It's wrong." Everyone, from the Rednapps, the clubs, to the fans themselves, must stamp this evil out of sport, permanently. Every sport and every situation, we need to stand up and be counted.
No comments:
Post a Comment