Racism in football continues to persist. We’re in 2019 and somehow, it is still acceptable to make monkey chants at players, throw banana peels at them or refer to Muslim players as terrorists.
Just take a look at the 2018/19 season and the number of racist incidents that have occurred during football matches. A banana peel being thrown at Arsenal striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, racist chants at Raheem Sterling during a friendly in Montenegro, Napoli defender Koulibaly subjected to monkey noises from the Inter Milan supporters, German players Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gundogan subjected to racist abuse from their own fans during a friendly match and most recently Liverpool player Mohamed Salah being called a ‘bomber’ in a chant by opposing fans.
Clubs and football associations are trying to ‘Kick It Out’. Whether it is stadium bans for individuals or clubs forced to play football matches behind closed stadiums, the football bureaucracy is trying to punish fans involved in racism.
But it’s not just the fans. What do we do about everything else? The abhorrent lack of black referees in football, the almost laughable fines given to clubs, the way media chooses to report on black players or even players and managers themselves who have been caught up in racism scandals.
It is no secret the way English media reports on black players such as Raheem Sterling and Paul Pogba. In fact, Sterling after years of abuse had recently chosen to speak up on the double standards of media, when he highlighted the difference of reporting when it came to a white player buying a house for his mother and a black player doing the same.
Players and managers also seem unaware of how to handle situations like these. Very recently when Juventus youngster Moise Kean was the victim of racist chants in a match against Cagliari Football Club, his manager Allegri and club and countrymate Bonucci in their post-match comments said something along the lines of how Moise shouldn’t have spurred on the crowd Cagliari manager, took it even a step ahead saying the chants towards Keane weren’t intended to be ‘racist’ and any other player would have faced the same chants (I doubt any white players are subjected to monkey chants and noises, though.)
Last summer, when German player Mesut Ozil retired from football, claiming he had been the victim of racist remarks from the media and the higher-ups in the German Football Association, his teammates instead of siding with him disregarded his remarks saying there was no racism in the team.
Football associations are to be blamed too. While anti-racism campaigns are good for PR, most people involved in such activities have been let off with a mere slap on the wrist.
In 2012, the European football governing body UEFA fined Manchester City fined more for being late by a minute on the pitch after half-time ($39,000), than Porto was ($26,000) fined after their fans directed racial abuse at Mario Balotelli.
In 2012 Luis Suarez was found guilty of being racist towards then Manchester United player Patrice Evra. Suarez was banned for eight matches but his club, Liverpool, issued a statement on his behalf and players wore t-shirts with his name and image to show their solidarity. A club of Liverpool’s stature, choosing to stand by their player instead of creating a precedent for how such issues should be dealt with showed how racism always seemed to be a non-issue.
In 2016, FIFA went on to disband its anti-racism taskforce that had been formed just three years before. They claimed the taskforce’s temporary mission had been fulfilled.
In 2017, Serie A player Sullery Muntari was shown a yellow card by the referee in a match for ‘dissent’ after he complained that he was facing racist abuse from the crowd. When the referee did not take action, he proceeded to walk off the pitch, receiving another yellow card in the process and banned for a game.
When referees punish players who have been victim of racism chants or an entire club adorns t-shirts in support of a club mate who was found guilty of racism, one wonders whether we will truly be rid of this plague in football.
There is still a lack of people of colour in the higher bureaucracies of football, there is still a lack of black referees. Even football punditry continues to have more white male players. When the higher echelons continue to be dominated by a certain group of people, it is difficult to see stricter punishment and thus a complete elimination of racism in football.
This is why banning fans and fining clubs is not enough. When clubs and players and referees are not even aware of how such issues should be dealt with. When racist players are still considered legends. It is not enough when the issue runs so deep. When it is entrenched in society itself that it has become a part of the sport. After all, art mimics life, does it not?
