Racism in Football

This is the first piece I am writing. I study media at college, but football plays a massive role in my life. Being a football fan, I want to see teams play the beautiful for what it is and the idea that racism is still in today’s game is disgusting. However, there is also an importance of ‘fair play’, judgement and culture.

One of the most recent incidents involves Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, where there Uruguayan called Evra ‘negrito’ (which is used in Latin America to say black). I understand how there is a misunderstanding as it is similar to the n word in English but in Spanish culture, the term isn’t offensive. He was seen by the FA to be guilty and as punishment, was suspended 8 games and fined £40,000. BUT this was only a claim by Patrice Evra, who has made accusations of racism before with former Liverpool right back Steve Finnan and Chelsea grounds staff. There was no evidence to support his claim of racial intent and his United team mate David De Gea said he didn’t hear anything. It was later announced that Suarez admitted using the term ‘Negrito’. Now if he really had the intent to racially offend Evra, the likely hood of him admitting it would be low.

Another incident which was a day later to the upper example is John Terry and his fellow Englishman Anton Ferdinand in the West London derby involving Chelsea and QPR. Terry was claimed to have said ‘b**** c**t’ to Ferdinand. The difference being there are video footages of what appears to be proof. Some will dismiss this and say that he said blind c**t. He was also found guilty but was only fined £2,000. Anton Ferdinand remained quiet about the situation even though he could have made a claim suggesting that this could be happening more often than is being brought to the attention of the FA.

Does this show unfairness? In today’s courts, there is a saying. ‘Innocent until PROVEN guilty’. Yet the decision on Luis Suarez was based on PROBABLE. Furthermore, in refereeing, it is said that penalties, offsides etc, should be given if certain the incident took place (before it’s said that this is not always the case, I do accept that referee’s aren’t always right, can make mistakes, and be complete and utter k***heads). I also have to ask, why were these cases taken up under different judges and parties. The FA dealt with the Suarez/Evra case while the Metropolitan police were involved in the Terry/Ferdinand situation. Regardless of that, racism is racism. If both Suarez and Terry are guilty, they should be both have to deal with the same consequences. People may even feel that Terry got off lighter due to the fact that he, himself is English. I am not saying it is true, but if that is the case then they in sense are keeping racism in football, on and off the pitch and going against their own cause.

As I end this I should say that I am against racism and believe that both players, whether they were innocent or not, where going to be fined to show England’s stand against racism and the FA’s  promotion of ‘Let’s kick racism out of football’ and should it send a message to players and eradicate racism from football then it has been done for the greater good of the sport.