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What few are willing to acknowledge is the failure of referees and even players to take on a more aggressive role in protecting black players from what has become a hostile work environment. In fact, Onyewu threatened to walk off the pitch only when it became clear that the referee had no intention of punishing Van Damme. Racist language by a player is a red-card violation requiring immediate ejection, according to FIFA rules, which prohibit “abusive, insulting language and/or gestures.”. When a player receives a red card, his team is left with 10 players rather than the standard 11. Furthermore, the ejected player is disqualified from participating in the next league game.
When referees start to aggressively punish racist taunts with red cards, I’m guessing that players will think more than twice before provoking black players in this way. Referees who fail to punish racist provocation should be denied opportunities to referee subsequent high-profile matches and should perhaps themselves be fined.
But the teammates of black players also have a role to play in combating racism on the pitch. Three years ago, teammates of Barcelona star (and Cameroonian native) Samuel Eto’o persuaded him not to leave the game after he exploded in reaction to repeated racist abuse by fans of the opposing home team Real Zaragoza. Likewise, Gooch’s teammates rallied around him to persuade him not to leave the game in Belgium last month. But why should the victims of racist abuse continue playing in this kind of hostile environment? Why, instead, don’t teammates join with the victimized player and collectively walk off the soccer field? That would be a better expression of solidarity than imploring a black teammate to suck it up and play through the pain. And it would show that blatant racism injures all players—white and black alike.
Instead, a world-class player like Eto’o has concluded that because of rampant racism, he can no longer bring his family to games. That is a painful sacrifice that his white teammates need not make. Onyewu’s courageous decision to file a lawsuit has reverberated throughout the world. Some have cited the fact that Gooch is an American with an imposing physical presence as key advantages to his efforts at redress. He hails from a powerful country (although, regrettably, not one that is highly competitive in world soccer) and at 6-foot-4 and 210 muscular pounds, he’s not likely to be vulnerable to physical retaliation from players who may disapprove of his actions.
That Onyewu is American (his parents are Nigerian immigrants) may be an interesting cultural moment in the fight against racism in soccer. Americans, and black Americans in particular, are more likely than citizens of many other countries to see the courts as a powerful forum for the vindication of civil rights. Onyewu’s decision to seek no monetary compensation but only “moral compensation” in the form of an apology reflects an American’s sophisticated sense of how legal challenges can be shaped to produce elegant and effective forms of redress for racism. The young defender should be applauded for his courageous determination to ply his craft in a workplace free of the distraction and degradation of overt racism.
Sherrilyn Ifill is a regular contributor to The Root.
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Folks dont understand racism. Its kin to tribalism & nationalism. Europe retains and reenforces nationalism. This kind of tribalism is born of the competitiveness of the survival instinct. This kind of competiveness is usually tempered by people through the idea.
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I've seen the ignorance, disrespect and flat out stupidity from those barbaric idiotic fans in Europe. And why don't Al sharpton & Jesse Jackson and other so called black leaders check into this? cialis online Those players do not deserve to be treated like that. Thank god for people like Dr. King, Malcom X, Megar Everrus (sp?) and other REAL true black leaders in America. Because if it wasn't for them, we would be going through the samething those black Athletes are going through today.
This is a complicated subject that tends to be over generalized. I discuss the topic at length in chapter six "Race and Soccer" in my book Black People Don't Play Soccer? Unlocking American Soccer's Secret Weapon.
The short answer to racism in soccer is that it requires some historical perspective and sense of the economic factors that lead to open expression of racial intolerance.
It is far too easy to dismiss Europe as racists and elevate England and the US for overcoming open racism in sports. Incidents now largely take place in countries where black faces are uncommon or create intense competition for jobs/money between immigrant populations such as France or Eastern European countries. Not to let the US off but there have certainly been well documented incidents of racial intolerance at the high school and club level in America in recent years.
What's disturbing to me is the cynicism of people online who either engage in blatantly racist talk or those who dismiss the notion that such things still exist. Many of the black soccer players I interviewed for my book generally shrug racism off like they woul bad weather. The message is that if you play long enough somewhere down the line its something that they'll be exposed to.
Visit my website at www.blackpeopledontplaysoccer.com for more info.
It is interesting that though the writer commented on the incident with Henry, she neglected to mention that he has been in the forefront of players who have actively campaigned against racism through his anti-racism campaign. They were also several anti-racism campaigns during the mid nineties in Germany and other countries, although the effects may not have been substantial.
Soccer rocks...I look forward to 2010 in South Africa!
It is quite apparent that the author - neither any of the Yank commentators above - ever go to European soccer matches.
I am a US/Brit who lived in London and regularly went to Premiership soccer matches. To lump 'European' racism all together is ignorant and nonsensical, it differs country by country,
In the UK racism at soccer matches has been (practically speaking) stamped out over the last 15/20 years for the simple reason that the sport's governing body - the Football Association - introduced stiff penalties for racist abuse and enforced them.
That's the key part. Enforcement.
Every major European soccer league has strong penalties for racist behaviour. Alas, in Spain, Italy et al, it's rarely enforced, or done so lightly.
Hats of to Gooch for his case. Hopefully it will force FIFA's hand to actually act on the matter.
Still, i'd encourage any of the above commentators to attend a 'European' football match if they get the chance. You'll find it hard to go back to your limp 'football' or baseball leagues afterwards.
Racial discrimination is treating people differently through a process of social division into categories not necessarily related to races. In addition, some people have been deprived of certain right or they seemed to lose their self confidence and consider themselves as inferior. Similar to this, Sherri Goforth has gone forth and gotten in trouble by emailing a racist cartoon to friends and colleagues. Sherri Goforth, an aide to State Senator Diane Black (of Tennessee) sent around a cartoon featuring the portraits of all the U.S. Presidents, the last one being a black square with two eyes, a less than subtle prod at President Obama and his ethnicity.She's been reprimanded, but doubtless Republicans would give cash advances to make racist associations and Sherri Goforth go away.
the cultural differences make the racism ok. I see.