It’s time for zero tolerance to cut racism out of football once and for all

Shamefully in 2019 players being racially abused is no longer shocking, it’s something we have become used too. Of course, everyone pays lip service to the issue, saying how bad it is, but no one actually wants to take the next step to find a solution.

Which is why I can’t believe those in the UK have the audacity to criticise the Italians for not tackling the issue. This was prompted by Demba Ba suggesting black players should boycott Serie A until they treat these concerns seriously. But are our FA any different?

Okay, we are quicker to condemn it, our media will write that it’s bad’, phone in and social media will debate the subject. Then things go quiet and we go through the same cycle when it happens again.

How many years has it been since we spoke about a rise in racism? If we do nothing, why would we expect it to get better? Do we care (as we claim) to clean up the game, but will we prioritise that over money?

Clubs meet every year to agree on rules, why have they never discussed sanctions such as banning away fans or empty stadiums. In reality the Premiership can’t market itself as the best League in the World if supporters are being forced to stay away. I’m sure businesses don’t want to miss out on every other week a couple of thousands of tourists visiting their city/town? But that’s what zero tolerance is, it’s saying that you find something so unacceptable that nothing is more important than fixing it.

This is why I still think deduction of points is the way forward. Sometimes you have to get into the mind of these cowards. These are people who don’t have lives. Who take sport so ‘seriously’ they think they can act out they want in the confines of a stadium? Who think they can say whatever they want, based on what shirt they wear? You think they care what a Raheem Sterling says or if Prince William has written a statement about it? Let’s have them wake up on a Monday morning, and see that their precious race for a Champions League spot or relegation battle has been impacted by their actions. Hit them where it hurts.

Some will say that it’s too harsh a consequence, that maybe even fans would exploit the rule. I’m not saying don’t investigate each situation or use common sense. At the same time though, thinking like that again makes it about football when the topic is bigger. It’s no different to the hooliganism problems we had in the late eighties. Was it fair that when we were champions, we never got the chance to represent England in Europe? Probably not..

Yet back then, clearly those in power thought enough was enough and were going to act, no matter if it cost clubs money or our English game’s image.

Now it’s time to say enough is enough again. Zero tolerance should mean zero tolerance…

Dan Smith

18 Comments

  1. It’s impossible to eradicate racism from football 100%. As long as their is racism in society there will be racism in football

    We can decrease it with zero tolerance punishments

  2. Hating the other fans, players and their manager was a way
    the horrors of every day life could be salved temporarily.
    In fact tribalism and its ingrained hatred of others
    was probably the major attraction of football
    to the masses right up until the Premier League era.
    When the blacks started coming into football in the late 1970’s
    it finally gave the despised poor whites a group to look down on.
    Gentrification, higher education levels and high ticket prices
    is altering the fan demographic and generally improving behavior.
    However a packed stadium and the environment it generates
    can still become a law unto itself.
    Racism like any one of the many isms has become far less
    visible at football games in England but traces remain.
    Generally though compared to the 70’s and 80’s English football
    has made giant strides and continues to do so.

    1. Agu- I think you have got a bit ahead of yourself PAL. When you say it gave the white groups the chance to look down on the black players that is a Racist Comment.I have never looked down on any player that isn’t white.Nor will do at any time.Footballer or not.Nor do 99.9999% of the population of this country either.
      I get what you are trying to say but you need to be a lot more careful in what you state.

      1. No he doesn’t. If it doesn’t apply to you, then he’s obviously not talking about you. This is why we struggle to end racism as well. We are still far too uncomfortable talking about it and take every slight as a personal attack. And I know you using 99.99% is a way of saying only a very small group of ppl are racist in UK, but that is so grossly untrue. Very hard to believe when an effective tactic in Brexit vote was using scare tactics to keep Britain “British”, and immigrants out, which it doesn’t take a genius to dissect. (I expect my last statement to get a lot of ppl angry, but hey, this is in line w/ the subject of the article. And you can find the data that shows hate crime increases around the time of the Brexit vote. Sorry if the facts hurt you, but they aren’t a personal attack, they are simply reality and this is how we need to do better).

  3. There is only one way to try and stop ANY form of prejudice in7football and that is the deduction of points – all three in every game that it happens, no matter what the final scoreline might produce.

    It has to be retrospective, simply to ensure that the facts are proven, but within three days of the final whistle the decision should be announced.

    Fining clubs or countries an amount that they probablytake in hot dog and beer sales during a game is ridiculous.

    As for anything else, this is a football site and we should discuss on that factor – allowing admin to censorship.

    1. If admin wants to censor, so be it, but if the topic is about cutting racism out of football once and for all, then it intrinsically linked with the topic of societal racism, and if that makes people uncomfortable, then skip the comment section, or dont have it as a topic at all. ?‍♀️

  4. @RSH- you jumped on something that was not there.I merely pointed out that “some” would take offence at that comment and rightly so in my opinion. Yet you decided that I was wrong. Who are you to know what my beliefs are? And what makes you an expert on Brexit? Do you seriously believe that anyone who voted OUT is a racist? Because that is what you are implying with your attitude.Most people I know voted OUT.Are they ALL racist? They voted out for reasons that had nothing to do with Racism PAL.

  5. ToluCOYG, can you tell me how you have arrived at this “large majority” you boast about.

    It has always been my experience that anyone who has to use fictitious numbers to boost their individual views, are pretty weakminded individuals.

    I would suggest that you refer back to some of the words RSH has used to denigrate players, before you put him on a pedestal…isn’t that so RSH?

    As for enjoying our “British space”, we actually do enjoy it immensley, along with many other nationalities from across the world.

    As for racism only being in football because it’s rife in the world, that’s a human condition that involves every nation, nationality, race, colour, religion, not just “the despised poor white groups” quote that was so unnecessarily introduced into the discussion by, it seems, a racist in his own right.

    Let’s get back to football – cheers!!!

    1. My comments were directed to Phil, only the 1st sentence was for RSH which I applauded how he intelligently responded to the diverting tactics of phil.
      Using the word “weakminded” for me won’t get at me,i’m already emancipated psychologically and emotionally, but it’s still part of what we are talking about here, you guys can’t just pretend for a moment, gosh…
      As regards the majority ish, you can consult your national population census agency, don’t ask me such childish questions again please.
      You can come back twisting my words again, I care less mate. Cheers.

      1. ToluCOYG, no twisting of words, here are yours…”large majority on this site see him as a rascist”…please explain and give proof.

  6. Thanks for your comment Tolu. I have nothing personal against Phil and I don’t read all of his comments so I really have no conclusion about him, but although we’ve disagreed on certain players in the team, I simply don’t know him like that. But to your point, yes the reverse psychology is real, and very common tactics to shut down arguments about race because people love to take any piece of an argument and take it as a direct attack on their character and then things to completely off subject like right now. My friend Ken, again does it just above this post because of his poor reading comprehension.

    It’s clear most of society is simply willing to have this discussion, thus we keep going through this endless cycle. And Ken, you know for a fact I have never denigrated any player outside of the performance I see on the pitch. What a sad, and simply desperate attempt this is, just because the topic I am speaking about makes you sweat. Maybe you should ask why that is instead of trying to point fingers at other people to deflect. I have also had no problem with you up until this very moment, and seeing you stoop so low is simply a shame. I’m happy to discuss football & racism, but you seem intent on not letting that happen and instead making general statements that add nothing of value, and anybody who dares delves deeper into the subject beyond “it’s a human condition”, as racist. You’ve even given the Admin “permission” to censor this discussion. It’s a tiring game. If you want to actually discuss this, let’s discuss it. Stop trying to shut it down and play it off.

    1. Let’s be honest RSH you jumped in on the post and started the argument , not the first time is it ? You do like to jump in head first without thinking and for thanking Tolu for his disgraceful comment shows me everything about you really .

    2. RSH, please just cut out the Bs about notdenegrating a player outside of football – that isn’t what I said and you know it.

      Go back to what I ACTUALLY said “some of the words RSH has used to denegrate players”…plain and simple request…nothing to do with his performance outside of the pitch that you have decided to insinuate I have said.

      None of us know our players outside of wearing the shirt and their performances therein, so why do you think I would ask your opinion, as I haven’t got one of my own?

      Sad and desperate about the topic? What a load of rubbish – you have no idea of my origin, my colour, my race, my religion and yet you accuse me in exactly the same manner that you so indignantly called Phil out for…your PERCEIVED knowledge of how we think and behave.

      I called out ToluCOYG, for his “large majority” statement, as a self confessed expert on reading comprehension, I would have thought that you might have wanted clarification, rather than accepting the pedestal he put you on.

      Surely, as that expert on reading comprehension, you should have digested the fact that I didnt give admin “permission” to censure, but suggested we left it to him…yet another deflection you so righteously accuse me of.

      Finally, I find it curious that there is still no response regarding this “large majority” and that was the statement that started this exchange, along with the “despised poor white groups” epic…If you want to debate racism and/in football, let’s do it in the forum, see you there brother.

  7. the solution is a total buycott of all social media platforms by all footballers around the world……. Phil neville.

    1. Bajaja, interesting thought, I wonder if he will boycott his motd slot and forgo his salary…talk is cheap, action is required !!!

  8. So to you and RSH I’m a racist am I? You don’t know me.You don’t know my views on racism,You have no clue about my life and what I do with it.But you have decided I’m a racist. Pretty pathetic PAL.ladt season I reported 3 Arsenal fans away at Fulham for racist chanting at a player.I gave my name to the club and assisted when contacted by the police a few days later.I received a letter from Arsenal which I have to this day.There is no place in football for racism.There is no place in life for racism.But if you believe I’m going to let s pathetic idiot like you who was only able to jump on someone else’s reply post your remarks without me coming back then you’ve got the wrong bloke PAL.
    The initial post I replied to I agreed with.Did you not read this?If not your even more of a fool than I thought.All I stated was that his remarks could upset people with how it was phrased.Thats all.And I was vorrectvin saying so.Di where does this racist comment come from?Probably because of my dislike fro Iwobi.Agsin that’s pathetic.
    I once did something for an Nigerian organisation that I will share with someone from this site when we meet soon and if you were ever made aware of this you would look a bigger fool than you do now.But if it makes you feel better labelling me a racist then I’m pleased for you PAL

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