Spanish foreign ministry condemns abuse (chants against black football/soccer players

[Joey_Ramone]

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/v4/l0/s22/e7013/sport_lng0_spo22_evt7013_sto658695.shtml

...The game at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium was marred by continual monkey noises directed at visiting black players and by a regular chorus of "If you are not f**king black jump up and down" sung by large sections of the 55,000 crowd...

I am sure this was a minority of fans, nevertheless it was tolerated by the majority of fans who let it happen. This would never in a million years happen in the US, and if a fan were to make racist comments other fans would maul him.

How can the Europeans call the United States a racist country?

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[Damnyankee]

http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/v4/l0/s22/e7013/sport_lng0_spo22_evt7013_sto658695.shtml



I am sure this was a minority of fans, nevertheless it was tolerated by the majority of fans who let it happen. This would never in a million years happen in the US, and if a fan were to make racist comments other fans would maul him.

How can the Europeans call the United States a racist country?

To tell you the truth, i don't know. I would think they would not be racist. I mean, it has gotten to a point where france will be 50% muslim in 50 or so years, why would they be racist? But i condemn this wholehardedly. Oh well, europe will continue to think of us as a unwashed stupid mass.

 

[Pangur Bán]

I'm not sorry to say that football fans do not normally share the PC sentiments of the chattering elites. However, the racism at the Spain V England match was really appalling (when they did the monkey noises, that was almost all one could hear on the TV) and certainly wouldn't be acceptable in North America or, for that matter, most of Western Europe.

 

[emzie]

Wait, where'd you hide the MUSLIMZ R EVIL part of this post?

 

[MCdread]

In football, at least in parts of continental Europe and south America there is a fan movement, the Ultras. Almost every club has them, and it consists on a group of young people who go to the stadium with giant flags and posters, and sing some (usually) lousy chants they invent. Many of these groups harbour large sects of violent people, often connected with right wing movements and even nazi groups. It is the case of the (in)famous Ultras Sur, the ultras of Real Madrid, one of the most radical groups around. They even insult their own black players at Madrid's games. Without having watched the game, but knowing it was played in Barnabéu, R. Madrid's stadium, I'm positive these guys were the primary responsibles for what happened. They seem to have been tolerated by the rest of the crowd, and that's what's really sad.
IMO it's about damn time that someone puts a stop to the Ultras, because they are an embarassment to the sport and to any respectable fan of a club that has them.

 

[Imaginos]

I guess it could be very hard others in the crowd to stop it out of fear, especially those unfortunate to be seated near them . These louts come in big groups and can be very violent. If you try to boo them down, it might provoke them even more.

 

[Lonkut]

The game at Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium was marred by continual monkey noises directed at visiting black players and by a regular chorus of "If you are not f**king black jump up and down" sung by large sections of the 55,000 crowd...

This would never in a million years happen in the US, and if a fan were to make racist comments other fans would maul him.

Unfortunately we have come to those times where we can't even express ourselves.

 

[Imaginos]

The two players who felt the brunt of the racist chants would definitely not have found the whole thing funny. It would have been downright frightening for them to have to go through such a thing being publicly humiliated in front of 55000 people.
i'm sorry Lonkut, expressing oneself is one thing, but racist comments and racism must never be tolerated and must always be condemmed.

 

[Hundegesicht]

Unfortunately we have come to those times where we can't even express ourselves.

"We?" You consider the horrible chants and racism funny? You support racism? What do you mean?

And you racists seemed to be expressing yourselves more than well enough already!

 

[Jorge]

I think the spanish coach, Luis Aragones, together with the press did a very good job to provocate the whole thing.

I almost expected what happened in the stadium, after all it's just a bunch of stupid, racist, violent people that you can find anywhere (also in the USA, or do I have to remind you the violent incidents after the superbowl?).

The spanish coach and the press should work to stop this things from happening, not to fuel them. It's all shamefull indicent and hope the authorities make their best to avoid this things.

 

[Drakan]

Apalling attitude. Luis Aragonés and his big mouth.

 

[HamaticBabylon]

When they teach Caucasian superiority in schools and nothing but hate and discrimination of the history of Africa, pump negative information into the people about the blacks, you should not be surprised that the people will result back to an ideology of similar to the KKK.

 

[downtown]

what are you talking about, this stuff doesnt happen in America? its terrible, but it happens everywhere. Ive personally officated baseball matches where this was a problem. Ive had to throw kids who who chanted *Ni***** when a black kid was up to bat. It just might not happen at this large scale

 

[Scuffer]

Apalling attitude. Luis Aragonés and his big mouth.

The man's clearly a fool, but it does go deeper than that. Those fans weren't chanting just because of Aragones. There are those elements at many clubs across Europe. It's there in Britain too, but thanks to the Kick Racism Out Of Football (and other factors), it is better than many places and is continuing to improve.

It is disgusting and racism won't go away by ignoring it, or by saying other people are worse. An active and aggressive program to attack racism is needed, and it must be driven from the very highest level to the very lowest. Aragones would have been sacked/forced to resign for his comments if he was managing in England.

 

[Timko]

The England under-21 side played the Spanish under-21 side the day before this match and the same thing happened then.

 

[WickedSmurf]

This never happens in Sweden, that "fans" make racist slur about players.

If I've understood things correctly, it's most common in Italy, Spain, Greece and eastern Europe.

 

[Scuffer]

The Spainish press weren't really all that bothered about it on Thursday
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4021719.stm

but seem to have taken an interest today
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4024921.stm

In its editorial, the paper asks: "Are we really racist? If we're not, why did so many of us stand idly by while people were making monkey chants towards black England players?"

This is the most important and difficult thing that needs changing. Racism has been tolerated in football for far too long, by fans, clubs, national and international associations.

 

[Juka The Dumb]

this is pretty common in europe at soccer stadiums at least,who can control the blinded masses?

 

[Scuffer]

The people who own the stadiums can control it in the stadiums. Find them, charge them under race laws, ban then from football stadia, imprison if needed. It should not be ignored or tolerated. Shrugging shoulders and saying 'well, who can control the blinded masses' isn't good enough. Sweden has strict laws on these things (although it doesn't necessarily stop general thuggery). It needs genuine political will.

Interesting report on racism and violence in European football, from Social issues Research Centre
http://www.sirc.org/publik/fvracism.html

 

[luiz]

I one heard that this is a real problem in Italy. I think it is Lazio, the team full of nazis.