Professional soccer players usually only leave the pitch during a match when it’s the half-time intermission or once the match is over. Yet now players are leaving the pitch for a new reason: racism.
Italian soccer powerhouse, A.C. Milan, abandoned an exhibition game after Ghanaian international midfielder, Kevin-Prince Boateng, was subject to racial abuse from fans of the opposing club, Pro Patria. Pro Patria fans were bellowing racist chants at Boaten, which prompted Boateng to punt the ball into the stands in the direction of the hecklers and walk off the field closely followed by his teammates.
Except this is not an isolated incident. Racism is rabid among soccer fans in Europe. Fans purposely target players on the opposing team, generally of African descent, with racist chants, gestures, and derogatory signs.
A Chelsea fan was placed under police investigation for racist “monkey gestures” directed at Manchester United forward Danny Welbeck. A Liverpool fan was banned from attending games for four years after being found to have racially taunted another Manchester United player, left back Patrice Evra. Even West Ham supporters were caught making anti-Semitic gestures at opposing club Tottenham’s players.
Yet it’s not just the fans. Many players have been found to be making racist remarks and gestures at other players during the match.
Former English national team captain and current captain of Chelsea, John Terry was found not guilty in court of racist taunting but, was found guilty by the governing body of football in England, The Football Association (FA) of “abusive and/or insulting words and/or behavior” of Queen Park Rangers’ Anton Ferdinand. This “included a reference to the ethnic origin and/or color and/or race of Ferdinand.” Terry was fined over $350,000 and placed on a four-match ban.
Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez was found guilty by the FA of “abusive and/or insulting words and/or behavior contrary to FA rules,” which included “a reference to the ethnic origin and/or color and/or race of Patrice Evra.” He was fined $53,000 and handed an eight-match ban.
Although the FA is only the governing body in England, various other soccer governing organizations have all attempted to denounce racism, they have also threatened to punish players and teams who, like A.C. Milan, interrupt or abandon matches because of racial taunting.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has urged all players to not walk off the field or abandon the game if they are being racially abused by fans or an opposing player. “Walk off? No. I don’t think that is the solution,” Blatter said when asked about the A.C. Milan’s incident. “I don’t think you can run away, because then the team should have to forfeit the match. This issue is a very touchy subject, but I repeat there is zero tolerance of racism in the stadium, we have to go against that.”
Milan released a statement following latter’s comments stating, “AC Milan reaffirms its dissent towards all forms of racism, however they are manifested. We invite the national and international sporting authorities to adopt and apply every rule against racism.”
To further show their solidarity towards their teammate and the issue, Milan wore anti-racism messages on the back of their jerseys during their next game.
