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Racially abused footballers could strike if 'incompetent and lily-livered' FA chiefs keep failing to push for tougher sanctions - Lord Herman Ouseley
The Kick It Out chair has warned football's governing bodies that if they do not harden their stance against racism, players could walk off the pitch or refuse to play altogether
8 Sep 2011 08:13:00
goal.com
EXCLUSIVE
By Amar Singh
Footballers that face racist abuse, such as the monkey chants endured by Theo Walcott and Ashley Young in England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria last week, could refuse to play or walk off the pitch if the game's bodies do not toughen up against terrace racism, a leading peer has warned.
Lord Herman Ouseley, chair of Kick It Out, football's equality and inclusion campaign, believes Uefa and the FA are guilty of failing to back up their words with decisive action against associations such as the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU), who face sanctions after groups of spectators at the match were shown making Nazi salutes and heard mocking England's black players.
Lord Ouseley told Goal.com: "If Uefa dont take start taking real action we will reach a situation where black players or the team will walk off. The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) are having to think seriously about their members being abused and action not being taken - that is where we are heading. We're not there yet - but we are on the way."
Football's governing bodies have been accused of toothlessness in their approach to fighting racism in football.
In 2008 when the FA complained about monkey chants aimed at Emile Heskey following a match against Croatia a fine of just £15,000 was handed to the Croatian FA by Uefa.
Whilst in 2004 the Spanish Football Federation were fined a modest £44,000 by Fifa after England players Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, were targeted with monkey chants during a friendly at the Bernabeu.
Lord Ouseley continued: "We have a real problem with how bodies such as Fifa and Uefa address this issue.
"They make the right statements but their punishments are often weak or non existent. Until they start to apply very hard penalties where national bodies are acting irresponsibly, such as taking away points, throwing them out of competitions or playing games behind closed doors, I am afraid we will go on having those experiences unless we withdraw from their competitions.
"What happened in Sofia was very disappointing but hardly surprising. We know that whenever any English team go to Eastern Europe in particular and carry black players with them there is always a danger of racist abuse."
The FA have confirmed they made an official complaint following the match, where Bulgaria fans making fascist salutes even unfurled a banner saying 'F*** Uefa', but the European body has chosen to refrain from acting swiftly, defining the issue as a 'non-urgent item'.
"It's a non-urgent item because our Football Association are so incompetent," added Lord Ouseley.
"They should be hammering at the doors at Uefa - this is an urgent matter. If our FA treated it as urgent and recognised the importance of the feelings of black players, and indeed those who are not black but are equally offended by it, perhaps we would see action.
"I'm afraid our FA are a bit lily-livered and weak at the knees when it comes to this matter - they also make the right noises but they do not demonstrate all the actions that are necessary so that we have this scourge that affects the vast majority of football fans who are decent and, of course, the players."
Lord Ouseley, who set up the Kick It Out campaign in 1993 and is a former chair for the Commission for Racial Equality, said that the England supporters heard making anti-Romany chants at the match must also face action – such as travel bans.
"Any English fans behaving badly abroad should not be there and the FA should take action. The national side should not be accompanied by fans who will be abusive. I hope that is being thoroughly investigated and if it can be proved that that was the case the perpretrators will be investigated.
Following the Euro 2012 qualifier, Bulgaria manager Lothar Matthaus apologised for what he described as "pitiful" behaviour whilst an FA spokesman gave a very short statement confirming to journalists that they had "raised it" with with the BFU and Uefa followed by: "That's all we're saying about it."
England's players were, by and large, reluctant to speak out unequivocally against the monkey chants that were clearly audible to TV viewers.
Walcott told reporters "it was clear, I ignored it," whilst captain John Terry said "you don't expect that at all".
However, the strongest words came from Wayne Rooney, who said: "We could hear it on the pitch. It has been going on for years and it's not right. It needs to stop and hopefully something will be done about it."
Lord Ouseley insisted that for terrace racism to be eradicated the onus is on all the key figures in the game – not just those who face the racist abuse – to speak out.
"Unfortunately there is a natural reticence on the part of many black players not to draw more attention to themselves by speaking out. They feel they have enough problems trying to maintain their position in the team, many are probably afraid to speak out passionately and feel it may well affect their chances of staying in the team.
"They are happy for other people to shout on their behalf. Some have started to speak out and increasingly as they do, others will follow suit.
"Many black players have told me in the past that they wanted to keep their heads down. 'We dont want people to think we have a chip on our shoulder or an axe to grind,' they say.
"At the same time [they] are told 'it's just banter, don't let it affect your form or get under your skin'.
"I was glad Wayne Rooney spoke out at the weekend – he said its been going on for far too long and had to stop. He's the high-profile star of the team is he not?
"England's 'main man' has spoken and what have the FA done? Very little. We really have a problem."
Lord Ouseley added that the England team wearing the Kick Racism Out of Football sweatbands in training earlier this week was an "important symbolic gesture" but conceded "it must be backed up by action".
Follow Amar Singh on
By Amar Singh
Footballers that face racist abuse, such as the monkey chants endured by Theo Walcott and Ashley Young in England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria last week, could refuse to play or walk off the pitch if the game's bodies do not toughen up against terrace racism, a leading peer has warned.
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Lord Herman Ouseley, chair of Kick It Out, football's equality and inclusion campaign, believes Uefa and the FA are guilty of failing to back up their words with decisive action against associations such as the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU), who face sanctions after groups of spectators at the match were shown making Nazi salutes and heard mocking England's black players.
Lord Ouseley told Goal.com: "If Uefa dont take start taking real action we will reach a situation where black players or the team will walk off. The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) are having to think seriously about their members being abused and action not being taken - that is where we are heading. We're not there yet - but we are on the way."
Football's governing bodies have been accused of toothlessness in their approach to fighting racism in football.
In 2008 when the FA complained about monkey chants aimed at Emile Heskey following a match against Croatia a fine of just £15,000 was handed to the Croatian FA by Uefa.
Whilst in 2004 the Spanish Football Federation were fined a modest £44,000 by Fifa after England players Ashley Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, were targeted with monkey chants during a friendly at the Bernabeu.
Lord Ouseley continued: "We have a real problem with how bodies such as Fifa and Uefa address this issue.
"They make the right statements but their punishments are often weak or non existent. Until they start to apply very hard penalties where national bodies are acting irresponsibly, such as taking away points, throwing them out of competitions or playing games behind closed doors, I am afraid we will go on having those experiences unless we withdraw from their competitions.
"What happened in Sofia was very disappointing but hardly surprising. We know that whenever any English team go to Eastern Europe in particular and carry black players with them there is always a danger of racist abuse."
The FA have confirmed they made an official complaint following the match, where Bulgaria fans making fascist salutes even unfurled a banner saying 'F*** Uefa', but the European body has chosen to refrain from acting swiftly, defining the issue as a 'non-urgent item'.
Message of hate | Some Bulgaria fans made monkey noises directed towards black players
"It's a non-urgent item because our Football Association are so incompetent," added Lord Ouseley.
"They should be hammering at the doors at Uefa - this is an urgent matter. If our FA treated it as urgent and recognised the importance of the feelings of black players, and indeed those who are not black but are equally offended by it, perhaps we would see action.
"I'm afraid our FA are a bit lily-livered and weak at the knees when it comes to this matter - they also make the right noises but they do not demonstrate all the actions that are necessary so that we have this scourge that affects the vast majority of football fans who are decent and, of course, the players."
Lord Ouseley, who set up the Kick It Out campaign in 1993 and is a former chair for the Commission for Racial Equality, said that the England supporters heard making anti-Romany chants at the match must also face action – such as travel bans.
"Any English fans behaving badly abroad should not be there and the FA should take action. The national side should not be accompanied by fans who will be abusive. I hope that is being thoroughly investigated and if it can be proved that that was the case the perpretrators will be investigated.
Following the Euro 2012 qualifier, Bulgaria manager Lothar Matthaus apologised for what he described as "pitiful" behaviour whilst an FA spokesman gave a very short statement confirming to journalists that they had "raised it" with with the BFU and Uefa followed by: "That's all we're saying about it."
England's players were, by and large, reluctant to speak out unequivocally against the monkey chants that were clearly audible to TV viewers.
Walcott told reporters "it was clear, I ignored it," whilst captain John Terry said "you don't expect that at all".
 "The Kick It Out sweatbands were an important symbolic gesture - but they must be backed up with action"
- Lord Ouseley
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However, the strongest words came from Wayne Rooney, who said: "We could hear it on the pitch. It has been going on for years and it's not right. It needs to stop and hopefully something will be done about it."
Lord Ouseley insisted that for terrace racism to be eradicated the onus is on all the key figures in the game – not just those who face the racist abuse – to speak out.
"Unfortunately there is a natural reticence on the part of many black players not to draw more attention to themselves by speaking out. They feel they have enough problems trying to maintain their position in the team, many are probably afraid to speak out passionately and feel it may well affect their chances of staying in the team.
"They are happy for other people to shout on their behalf. Some have started to speak out and increasingly as they do, others will follow suit.
"Many black players have told me in the past that they wanted to keep their heads down. 'We dont want people to think we have a chip on our shoulder or an axe to grind,' they say.
"At the same time [they] are told 'it's just banter, don't let it affect your form or get under your skin'.
"I was glad Wayne Rooney spoke out at the weekend – he said its been going on for far too long and had to stop. He's the high-profile star of the team is he not?
"England's 'main man' has spoken and what have the FA done? Very little. We really have a problem."
Lord Ouseley added that the England team wearing the Kick Racism Out of Football sweatbands in training earlier this week was an "important symbolic gesture" but conceded "it must be backed up by action".
Follow Amar Singh on
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
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| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
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| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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