Race, creed or colour . . . . Racism in sport

Monday 31 October 2011

The recent alleged incident and controversy arising from the claims and counter claims of racism in football has again brought into sharp focus the issues with regard to racism in sport generally.

The FA is investigating two claims of racist abuse which have occurred during recent Premier League fixtures between Liverpool v Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez said he was “upset” by the allegation he racially abused Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, whilst John Terry has vowed to clear his name against alleged racist remarks against Anton Ferdinand at the weekend.

Patrice Evra is set to meet the Football Association to give a full account of his claims of racist abuse from Liverpool forward Luis Suarez after telling Sir Alex Ferguson he is ‘adamant’ about pursuing the issue.

Ferguson, who accompanied Evra to the referees’ room at Anfield when the full-back lodged the complaint to Andre Marriner, admitted the issue was difficult for both clubs but revealed the defender is determined to pursue the allegation with the FA, a stance that would require Suárez to participate in the inquiry too.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas earlier claimed that a post-match conversation between Terry and Ferdinand had marked “the end of the story”. However the Metropolitan Police has announced it is assessing evidence from the incident after receiving a complaint.

The FA has refused to comment because of the sensitivity of the subject and the clubs involved. It is understood that there is unlikely to be any statement from the governing body soon.

With two of the Premier League’s leading players at the centre of such an ugly controversy, PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor insists that the players’ union is prepared to mediate in an effort to secure a resolution. It is something they have done in the past and have expressed concern that two of their players from different countries are at odds over a very serious issue. Only by having a full inquiry on such matters can they try to make sure that such problems don’t arise again.

Lord Herman Ouseley, a chairman of football’s equality and inclusion campaign Kick It Out, warned the incidents could influence players at lower levels and sees the allegation as worrying and potentially very damaging. There is concern that what happens at the top end of the game has an impact at grassroots level and at parks across the country.

Basically, racism is the unfair treatment or hatred of individuals of a certain race and it can be found almost anywhere – including in relation to sport.  Some sports, such as football, unfortunately have a long history with racism though any sport, even something as sedate as golf, can become embroiled in racism if those associated with it, whether players or spectators, show racist attitudes or actions. Thankfully racism in sport has become less frequent, but it can still be present and it is up to everyone to help make it go away for good.

The work of charitable organisations such as Show Racism the Red Card cannot be underestimated. Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism charity, which was established in January 1996. The aim of the organisation is to produce anti-racist educational resources, which harness the high profile of professional footballers to combat racism. Racism often is simply seen as being “black and white” when in fact it is much more complex in many ways. Racism can be practiced at an individual level, such as when private citizens make comments or stereotypes concerning others, or at an organisational level, such as if policies are implemented to discriminate against others. These actions and  attitudes may be taken in order to benefit one race, or simply because one race is thought to be inferior to others. In the United Kingdom, the Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from being discriminated against in employment on the grounds of colour, race, nationality, religious beliefs or ethnicity. This is true of discrimination whether it is done on purpose or not as well as whether it is direct, indirect, harassment and/or victimisation.

Racism has long haunted popular sports such as football, but it can also occur on any pitch, course, track or arena. This can be especially true of sports such as golf or tennis in which racial minorities have a shorter professional  history. However, there is never any excuse for racist actions or chants pertaining to a particular sport and to say that racism only comes about when racial minorities become involved in a sport places the blame on the players rather than on those who actually perpetrate racism.

There have been many news stories in recent years regarding initiatives to eradicate racism in sport as well as official investigations into racist incidents involving players and fans, such as the Show Racism the Red Card campaign. However, not all efforts to confront racism in sport make the news. Every time one spectator reports the racist chanting of another, every time one player tells another that racist attitudes aren’t cool, and every time that players and spectators come together to congratulate the achievements of others regardless of their race, racism is confronted in sport.

Confronting racism in sport is important so that each player and spectator can enjoy a fair and equal experience. Understanding racism, knowing how it pertains to sport and confronting examples of racism are all important to eventually ending racism in sport.

Race and sport: Milestones

1881  Guyanese-born Andrew  Watson captains Scotland, becoming the first black international footballer
1889  Arthur Wharton, the world’s first black professional footballer
1936  Jesse Owens wins four  gold medals at Berlin Olympics
1977   Commonwealth leaders agree to discourage sporting links with apartheid South Africa
1977  Laurie Cunningham becomes the first black footballer to play for England
1982  During World Cup finals, the National Front actively recruits at England matches
1999  Founding of Football  Against Racism in Europe
2006  England bowler Monty Panesar becomes first Sikh to represent any nation except India in Tests
2008  Lewis Hamilton becomes the first black Formula One world champion