Racism

[Granit]

Fifa Vows To Implement Racial Legislation

Time and tides, they say, wait for no man. And that
adage could well be true when the Federation of International Football (FIFA)
starts to implement its zero policy on racism.

Racial taunting has marred football pitches and terraces in
the last few weeks with Ivorian Marc Zoro, Cameroonian
Samuel Eto’o and Ghanaian Asamoah Gyan all being the latest victims.


But the patient dog, they say, eats the fattest bone, and FIFA
has clarified the deadline they set for the implementation of a
new law that punishes clubs whose fans racially abuse players.


This comes after Italian Serie A club Inter Milan escaped with a
mere fine after some of their fans racially abused Messina's Ivorian
Marc Zoro last week and for the second time this season.


Under the new system, clubs found guilty of failing to prevent
their supporters from abusing players on racial grounds could be docked
three points for a first offence, six for a second and even relegated
in the case of repeated incidents.


The new legislation also underlines empty stadium as a tough stand
on clubs for the behaviour of their racist fans.


However, on Wednesday, Inter Milan escaped with a fine
of just US$31,000 from the Italian football authorities as punishment for
the racist behaviour of their fans during a Serie A match against
Messina on Saturday, with no hint of a points deduction.


The new ruling would come into effect immediately for those
football associations whose regulations already contain a clause
setting out the same punishment, FIFA said in a statement posted
on their website.


But other football associations that have no such rule regarding
racial abuse, such as Italy, have been given a July 1
deadline to implement the new law, Fifa said.


Zoro was subjected to monkey chants at the San Siro, leading
to speculation that Inter may be the first club to fall foul of FIFA'S
tough new laws.


A points deduction would have hit Inter Milan's
Champions League qualification hopes but observers around Europe
were stunned to
see the Italian giants let off with just a fine.


Racism has been condemned in the strongest terms possible by
human rights groups, political and religious leaders around the world.


Pope Benedict XVI was the latest high profile figure to condemn
racism during a pre-match ceremony where Italy thrashed Germany 4-1.




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I feel we should have a Thread for this..
You are free to delete or move it.

goal.com

 

[snake]

eh, i think its stupid to punish the clubs.

As if there proud of it, i personally think they'll never squash racism out of the game.

 

[Granit]

eh, i think its stupid to punish the clubs.

As if there proud of it, i personally think they'll never squash racism out of the game.

Yes it stupid to punish the clubs.. but they feel that its the clubs that have to do something to stop it.

 

[snake]

they can do what they want but there will always be some idiots no matter how many millions a clubs spend to stop racism.

 

[Michal]

So group of Inter fans should come to bbilan home match in red&black T-shirts, they should insult black players from opposite team and bbilan will be punished???

 

[Granit]

So group of Inter fans should come to bbilan home match in red&black T-shirts, they should insult black players from opposite team and bbilan will be punished???

Lol... good idea. I dont think it would happen..

 

[Michal]

Lol... good idea. I dont think it would happen..

It is just an example. There should be any fans in Europe who would do that...

 

[Adriano@10]

eh, i think its stupid to punish the clubs.

As if there proud of it, i personally think they'll never squash racism out of the game.

Welll they almost have to punish the club coz there the only one who can do somthing against it ¨
only problem it that the club also is unable to bring out all the racism out of the stadium

 

[snake]

Welll they almost have to punish the club coz there the only one who can do somthing against it ¨
only problem it that the club also is unable to bring out all the racism out of the stadium

Fabio mate. i dont get you.

Lets say Moratti spent millions on campaigns, banning certain members, hiring more security. Me and you could turn up one day with a banner or certain things to say and not give a flyin $^%# about the consequence.

When someone is racist, the amount of th ings u say or do in this world wont change it. Theres no way clubs can tackle the problem and stamp it out.

 

[Adriano@10]

Fabio mate. i dont get you.

Lets say Moratti spent millions on campaigns, banning certain members, hiring more security. Me and you could turn up one day with a banner or certain things to say and not give a flyin $^%# about the consequence.

When someone is racist, the amount of th ings u say or do in this world wont change it. Theres no way clubs can tackle the problem and stamp it out.

Yeah i agree on this, i sad ther will always be some racist !!!!
but the only one who can somhow ban ppl out of the stadium and realy controlle who goes in the stadium is the club! and not the Fifa ore UEFA
so i understand why the punish the club!!¨
i mean look at clubs like Lazio it s obvious that they wint dooing much to keep racism out of the stadium!!

 

[Zamat]

Lazio is a bad example since there was no example of racial abuse in the past couple of seasons since the incident with Liverani.

Plus the article shows the stupidity of the writer -or the whole media- who love to stir sh*t around. There were no monkey chants, the moron who wrote this knows nothing about what happened.

I agree that club should not be punished, I'd make strict rules about banning fans, I F:
They can be pin-pointed
There's enough evidence.

If the italian court wouldn't have just given a f*ck about these 2 points due to the media-hype about racism, nothing would've happened last week. There was no clear evidence last year, yet they banned the fans.

I wonder though that why doesn't the media hype about Kameni getting abused by his OWN fans, there's proof, they were pinpointed yet nothing happened. It's only us...

 

[Durai]

Fabio mate. i dont get you.

Lets say Moratti spent millions on campaigns, banning certain members, hiring more security. Me and you could turn up one day with a banner or certain things to say and not give a flyin $^%# about the consequence.

When someone is racist, the amount of th ings u say or do in this world wont change it. Theres no way clubs can tackle the problem and stamp it out.

helal i have read your posts above and you know what mate you sound like you don't want it to stop, but thats only my opinion.

anyway it is true that it's difficult to change people's attitudes towards anything, it's also socially acceptable in some countries to racially taunt someone, in the UK people usually frown upon racism and tend to look at it as the past rather than the present but this isn't the same in all countries, also no one should tell a person to change their attitudes the person should change it themselves.

 

[Hammoudi]

Solution is easy. Install CCTV and catch those who do it, and give them a year ban first time, and a permanent one the next time.

Zamat, Lazio had more incidents. Just in the beginning of the season, they did it to Zoro. And this can't be denied, since many people heared it. He almost jumped and fought the fans I think and Lotito had to apologize at the end.

And if I am not mistaken, Lazio fans did similar things in the UEFA cup a season or two ago. Simply, some of their fans should get a permanet ban from all football stadia, enough is enough.

 

[Durai]

Solution is easy. Install CCTV and catch those who do it, and give them a year ban first time, and a permanent one the next time.

Zamat, Lazio had more incidents. Just in the beginning of the season, they did it to Zoro. And this can't be denied, since many people heared it. He almost jumped and fought the fans I think and Lotito had to apologize at the end.

And if I am not mistaken, Lazio fans did similar things in the UEFA cup a season or two ago. Simply, some of their fans should get a permanet ban from all football stadia, enough is enough.

yes CCTV has proven very successful in the premiership but the Italian FA are very slow on matters like this and will blame bureacracy for this about paperwork and other things. but CCTV is a very good idea.

 

[minterke]

If removing racism means removing all of the supporters who are the ones that are there every game that put up the coreos and start the chants then don't do anything about it. Racism is everywhere not only in football and those who are affected by racist chants should quit.

There I said it.

 

[Fabio]

Interesting letter from a Rangers fan,

Gianni Infantino
Legal Services Division
UEFA
Route de Geneve 46
Case Postale
CH-1260
Nyon 2
SWITZERLAND

Dear Sir,
I am writing to you today in connection with reports that UEFA are to
investigate allegations of racist and discriminatory chanting by supporters
of Rangers FC at matches in the Champions League against Villareal. As a
Rangers supporter myself I find it deeply worrying that UEFA are choosing
to pick on Rangers supporters, while ignoring discriminatory or sectarian
and racist chanting by other clubs supporters, very often directed at
Rangers and their mainly Scottish Protestant support. Ultimately, you
either believe in freedom of speech or you don't. UEFA has made it clear
that individuals do not have total freedom of expression within the
confines of a football stadium. In that case, I would like to ask why UEFA
do not take action against certain other clubs and countries supporters,
indeed rewarding some of the worst offenders for their behaviour.

The first example I would like to cite is that of Celtic FC. They are
traditionally the Catholic, left-wing club in Glasgow, as opposed to
Rangers traditional Protestant conservatism. The most commonly heard chant
at Celtic Park is 'For It's A Grand Old Team To Play For.' This chant, sung
by a majority at Celtic Park, includes the line "we don't care what the
animals say, what the hell do we care?" The word 'animals' is clearly being
used as a racially derogatory term for Protestant Rangers supporters,
suggesting they are somehow sub-human or racially inferior. Almost every
other chant sung by the Celtic supporters refers to the IRA, an Irish
terrorist organisation responsible for the murder of hundreds of British
civilians and soldiers, and their 'struggle' for a united Ireland. Chants
include "ooh-ah up the 'RA," "IRA all the way" to the tune of Rod Stewart's
'We Are Sailing,' "They gave us James McGrory and Paul McStay and the IRA,"
and "the Boys of the old brigade." These chants are particularly prevalent
amongst the clubs travelling support. At home they are more likely to chant
"go home British soldiers go home, have you got no homes of your own," and
the Soldiers Song, which is the national anthem of the Irish Republic, but
what soldiers have to do with a game of football is unclear. Celtic FC also
have a history of racial abuse against black players, going back to 1988
when Mark Walters was signed by Rangers, becoming the first black player in
Scotland's Premier Division. When he played his first match at Celtic Park,
he was pelted with bananas and subjected to monkey chants by the home
supporters. No action was ever taken against Celtic FC for the behaviour of
their supporters on this occassion. On the field, current club captain Neil
Lennon was filmed by TV cameras aiming sectarian insults at the Rangers
management team during a match at Rangers' Ibrox Stadium, shouting 'dirty
Orange *Beep*' towards someone in the Rangers technical area, in
reference to the Orange Order, being an ancient Protestant organisation. No
action was taken against the player, the incident not having been
highlighted by the Scottish media. At recent Celtic-Rangers matches which
Celtic won, in November 2005, thousands of Celtic supporters taunted the
Rangers manager with a chant of 'cheer up Alex McLeish, you sad Orange
*Beep*.' Again no action was taken by the authorities, again the media
having failed to highlight these chants. Hardly surprising that Celtic FC
and their supporters act in a racist manner, though, as their team is the
only major football club in the world named after a race of people, the
Celts. Indeed the club were formed in 1888 specifically to further the
cause of Irish Catholics in Glasgow, playing football being a secondary
consideration. It could therefore be argued that Celtic FC are the most
racist club in world football, and the actions and attitudes of their
supporters in Scotland certainly give credence to this view. So, why do
UEFA, or FARE for that matter, never threaten to hold Celtic FC accountable
for their supporters actions? Indeed, UEFA awarded the Celtic fans a Fair
Play award after the 2003 UEFA Cup final, during which many of the
sectarian chants mentioned were clearly audible on TV. If UEFA take action
against Rangers FC for their supporters actions, while not taking any
action against Celtic FC, this would be seen in Scotland as hypocritical.
Do UEFA condone racism against Protestants in Scotland? The award of the
2003 Fair Play prize, combined with any action against Rangers FC and their
supporters, would suggest they do.

Despite what I have written, the most offensive chanting I have ever heard
from supporters visiting Ibrox Stadium was not from Celtic supporters, but
from those of Aberdeen FC. Every time their supporters visit Rangers' Ibrox
home, they taunt us with chants about the Ibrox Stadium disaster of 1971.
"Who's that lying on the runway, who's that dying in the snow" they sing,
in reference to the tragedy in which 66 Rangers supporters died. This
sickening chant is heard at every Rangers-Aberdeen match. Thousands of the
victims' relatives still attend Ibrox, as indeed do many survivors of the
disaster who were at the tragic match against Celtic in January 1971,
including my own father. These people pay money to attend a football match
and have to suffer these taunts from the Aberdeen supporters. Now it cannot
be claimed that this chant is racist or sectarian, as Aberdeen FC have no
specific ethnic identity as a club. Do UEFA, or FARE, think that these
chants are acceptable, or somehow less serious or offensive, because they
are not racist? I would dearly like clarification of your views on this.

On a similar note, I would like to cite the example of FC.Barcelona and
their supporters. At the recent match against Chelsea, on the same night as
the Rangers-Villareal match in Spain, hundreds of their supporters seemed
more concerned with waving political banners, about Catalunya not being
part of Spain, than they were about the football being played. More serious
were the actions of their supporters at the UEFA Cup tie against Celtic in
Glasgow in 2004. This was the most sickening thing I have ever heard at a
football match that I didn't attend, watching it on TV. On the same day as
the Madrid bombings, which killed hundreds of Spanish citizens that very
morning, the supporters of FC.Barcelona booed and jeered during a minute's
silence mourning the victims of the terrorist attack. So much so that the
referee had to cut short the mark of respect. No action was taken against
FC.Barcelona and their supporters by UEFA. And yet UEFA are all too quick
to react to punish Rangers FC, and clubs like Sparta Prague and Steaua
Bucharest for alleged racist behaviour by a minority of their supporters.
How can UEFA, or FARE possibly justify these double standards? Could it be
that they only punish clubs who are seen as having right-wing followings,
such as Rangers and Chelsea, while turning a blind eye to the antics of
supposedly left-wing clubs, such as Celtic and Barcelona, who's supporters
political views more closely mirror those of the decision makers at UEFA
and FARE? Political bias would seem to be the only reason for this
hypocrisy.

It could be argued that international football is by definition racist, as
a player cannot choose which country he represents, or move from one
country to another, whereas in sports such as tennis and athletics this is
possible. However clearly FIFA are trying to stamp out racism in the
stands. And yet they and UEFA consistently award Fair Play prizes to the
followers of the Scotland national team, the so-called Tartan Army. Do they
not realise that the vast majority of Scotland's supporters chants are
anti-English racism? "Stand up if you hate England," they sing, and almost
all of them stand up. "If you hate the English clap your hands," and almost
all applaud. "We hate Jimmy Hill - he's a Shirt Lifter." Jimmy Hill is an English
TV commentator. This chant manages to be both racist and homophobic at
once! Even the words of the national anthem 'Flower of Scotland' are
racist, referring to ancient battles against the English. "You fought and
died for your wee bit hill and glen, and sent them homewards to think
again," Also "we can still rise now" suggests these battles are not yet
over. Indeed, most countries national anthems refer to bloody battles of
the past. Are UEFA, or FARE saying that racist anthems are unacceptable at
club matches, yet perfectly acceptable at international matches? Or is it
simply that you think it is OK to be racist against some groups, like the
English, but not against other groups, such as the Irish? This attitude is
in fact racist in itself! I have attended many Scotland matches and find
that hatred against the English is the main motivation for most of their
supporters being there. Will UEFA or FARE be monitoring Scotland matches in
the future, and do you have any opinions on the Scottish Government's
complete lack of action to tackle this particular brand of racism?

In 1989 Rangers FC signed their first ever Catholic player, Maurice
Johnston. They had an unwritten anti-Catholic signing policy for over 100
years, but former manager Graeme Souness, and David Murray, still the club
chairman, decided a racist employment policy could not be justified in the
late 20th century. Thousands of Rangers supporters never returned to Ibrox.
The player himself was subjected to hundreds of death threats, mostly from
Celtic supporters who saw him as a traitor against his religion. As a
result he has since had to emigrate to the USA. However, at least he played
a part in ending the last racist signing policy by a major football club in
Europe. Or was it? No, because even today, 17 years later, Athletic Bilbao
still operate a racist signing policy in the Spanish league, refusing to
field players who were not born and bred in the Basque region. This is in
fact their supporters proudest boast, the fact that they have never been
relegated from the Spanish Primera Liga while maintaining this racist
employment policy. However, UEFA condone this policy by allowing the club
to participate in European club competitions, and indeed UEFA have never
comdemned Bilbao for this. While UEFA allow this, and FARE do not speak out
against it, their anti-racism drives against other clubs are shown up to be
a mockery! Once again one can only come to the conclusion that UEFA and
FARE are not genuinely fighting racism, as they ignore racist behaviour by
those clubs who are perceived to be left-wing and their supporters. Another
example of this would be the way the Turkish FA were more severly punished
by UEFA than the Swiss FA were, after the shameful scenes following
Switzerland's World Cup play-off win over Turkey last November. This
despite TV evidence clearly showing a gloating Swiss player had instigated
the violence by assaulting a Turkish assistant on the pitch after the final
whistle! I would therefore suggest that FARE are nothing more than a
left-wing pressure group, and are more interested in using allegations of
racism to shame clubs whos supporters political views they do not agree
with. They are more interested in pointing the finger rather that actually
fighting racism itself!

In summary, these are the five main questions I would like to ask of UEFA
and FARE.
1. Why are Celtic FC and their supporters given Fair Play awards despite
constant racist and sectarian behaviour against Protestant Rangers
supporters?
2. Do UEFA and FARE regard offensive behaviour which is not racist such as
that of Aberdeen FC and their supporters to be less serious?
3. Why are FC.Barcelona never punished for the racist, nationalistic, and
political behaviour of their supporters?
4. Why are the SFA, Scotland team and their supporters given Fair Play
awards despite constant racist behaviour against the English?
5. How can UEFA claim to be fighting racism when clubs like Athletic Bilbao
are allowed to continue to operate a racist employment policy?

These are changing times in Scotland. Protestant Rangers supporters feel
increasingly persecuted and demonised by the new devolved Scottish
Parliament and mainly Catholic-drsupporters are being
accused of, and the racist behaviour such as monkey chanting iven media. Any action against the club by
UEFA will merely increse this sense of injustice felt by many Protestants,
given that no action is being taken against Celtic or the SFA. In effect
UEFA would be seen to be taking sides in an ethnic dispute. This could even
be counter-productive. I urge you to bear in mind that there is a major
difference between the sectarian behaviour Rangers currently so
prevalent in Italy and Spain. The difference is that Rangers FC and their
supporters are as much the victims of sectarianism as they are the
perpetrators in Scotland. I hope that UEFA take all of this into account
when dealing with the allegations raised following the Villareal matches. I
also hope that UEFA and FARE will take the time to respond to the points I
have raised in this letter. I intend to share the contents of your response
with other Rangers supporters on Internet message boards which are read by
thousands, so this is a great opportunity for you to clarify behaviour
which is and is not acceptable at UEFA Champions League matches. Any lack
of response will also be well publicised.
Yours sincerely,


Long but interesting read that.

Fabio

 

[Hammoudi]

Hmm, interesting read indeed.

I am new to this Rangers-Celtic stuff and the first time I heared how bad it is was when those two gentlemen argued about it on the boards.

If the points are true, then the fan has a point. Chants against Protestants and making discriminant/racial chants against them is a no-no and I am surprised these things aren't on the open. I knew about the passionate rivaliry between Rangers-Celtics but had no idea about the sectarian stuff.

Anyway, that is why I believe these things don't belong in soccer. You can chant for your team all you want, and you can call the other team anything you want (Losers, chockers etc.)

But if you are to make fun of the other team's religion/colour, then keep your banners at home and save us the chants!

On a final note, I don't think I'd consider what Bilbao does as racist. Although I don't agree with it and think that soccer should bring and not divide people, they can have that policy if they want. Some teams in the world don't allow foreigners (in other parts of the world.)

Also, I think the Basques do it to distinguish themselves and preserve their culture. Maybe they feel that Spain wants to change their identity or whatever.

 

[Fabio]

Nice post Hamed, lots of good points but I must say I disagree about Bilbao - it is wrong but nobody will change that, I mean - who would want to be the first non basque player to play for them!

Fabio

 

[Hammoudi]

Yeah Fabio, I said I understand it and it's not racist.

But I guess I am not Basque or I am not that pateriotic to care alot about national stuff while many do. Like I said, maybe it's their way to tell their kids and the world that they are unique.

BTW, I don't know if anybody would know that, but why don't they tell UEFA they want to make a Basque NT? I think that will be a stronger signal from them.

 

[Fabio]

Yeah, basically Bilbao is like the Basque NT - if they feel so strong about it they should request to UEFA.

About the Celtic - Rangers rivalry, I didn't know much about it but I have seen just how significant it is in Glasgow.

Fabio