IT’S TIME TO TAKE A STRINGENT ACTION ON RACISM -WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH.
Linda R. Jones
A week after a Black Lives Matter protest turned to violence when the statue of wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was daubed in graffiti which called him a racist, and despite warning from police not to attend protests at all today - and to be off the streets by 5.00pm - a large group crowd of right-wing groups and veterans gathered at the boxed-in statue to 'protect it from further vandalism' by Black Lives Matter and anti-racism protesters, on 13th June 2020, in London, England. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)
I have a bosom friend whose words of advice I always try to follow at times of crisis. He always says: “What do you want the outcome to be? Work backwards from there”.It helps calm me down if someone has said something to annoy me or behaved in a way I think is irresponsible or downright stupid. It’s a fine mantra if you want to preserve family, friendship or work ties and if you have the luxury of time. When the outcome is so clear that you can’t believe you are even having to address the issue again, you need a more urgent response. On the issue of racism in football,or indeed in any environment , the only acceptable outcome is that it should not exist.You would have thought that by 2021,in a supposedly advanced , educated society ,we would have achieved that.
Crystal Palace’s Senegalese midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate takes a knee to show support for the Black Lives Matters movement and as a protest against racism ahead of the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on June 20, 2020. (Photo by Michael Steele / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by MICHAEL STEELE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Why are we still talking about racism in football when we all know what we want the outcome to be? Needless to say that,The FA’s Kick It Out campaign has clearly failed if so -called fans are ignoring it by still abusing players on the basis of their race or color of skin. England’s Football Association has vowed to work with the British government and social media platforms to tackle racism after a spate of incidents early this year involving Premier League players from Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United being targeted by online abuse. Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford claims he has been racially abused through social media platforms.“Yes I’m a black man and I live every day proud that I am. No one, or no one comment, is going to make me feel any different. So sorry if you were looking for a strong reaction, you’re just simply not going to get it here.”
Manchester United’s English striker Marcus Rashford (L), Manchester United’s English defender Harry Maguire (2L) and Manchester City’s English midfielder Raheem Sterling (R) stand with Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder Fred (2R) after Fred was pelted with thrown objects from the crowd and allegedly racially abused while trying to take a corner kick during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 7, 2019. – British police on Sunday arrested a 41-year-old man after a video posted on social media showed a supporter apparently making racist gestures during Saturday’s Manchester derby. Fred was hit by objects thrown from the crowd as he prepared to take a corner in the second half while footage on social media appeared to show a City fan mimicking a monkey at the Brazilian. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)
No player should have to withstand abuse,either in crowds(when they were allowed) or on social media, Words matter but in tackling racism, they seem to have had little effect. Anonymity on social media sites has empowered people to bombard individuals with hate speech. It is a crime and yet the victims are the ones who have to stand up to it. Downing Street has said the football authorities need to do more to tackle racism in the game after calls for a government inquiry and more comprehensive sanctions. No 10’s comments were echoed by Priti Patel, the home secretary, who said: “Those found guilty of a racially aggravated offence under the Public Order Act can face a sentence of both six months in prison and a 10-year ban from attending all football matches.
Manchester United’s French midfielder Paul Pogba takes a knee to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and protest against racism during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on July 4, 2020. (Photo by Clive Brunskill / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by CLIVE BRUNSKILL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
We all have a part to play in making this world a better and more equal place , racism either in football , at work place or in any form is absolutely outdated and is completely unacceptable! Human is our only race! England player Jadon Sancho once said incidents of racism made him question why he played football and that he feared such abuse could make players lose their love of the sport.
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: A Vitoria fan makes racist monkey gestures after they lose in injury time after the UEFA Europa League group F match between Arsenal FC and Vitoria Guimaraes at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)Ludogorets’ Romanian defender Cosmin Moti holds an anti-racism banner ahead of the UEFA Champions League Group A football match between Arsenal and Ludogorets Razgrad at The Emirates Stadium in London on October 19, 2016. / AFP / BEN STANSALL (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
