Every time he touched the ball, 28-year-old Everton Luiz was being monkey-screamed from a group of supporters of Rad Belgrade. Shortly before the end, the match was briefly interrupted when Rad supporters also waved a banner with an insulting message against the Brazilian. / AFP / STR (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)
Racism in football may tarry a few more years, so let’s not kid ourselves we can do much right now to arrest it.
Deep questions like “Why are there a few black club managers?” and “Why do we have a scanty number of black/African goalkeepers thriving in Europe?” are often asked, but I’m really not privileged with answers.
Racism travels far across Europe. Countries like Italy, Spain and a few others within South America have been major culprits.
Football in England, also isn’t as squeaky-clean as it appears to be. Although it’s stale news at this time, how a former England manager Graham Taylor was reportedly asked by the English FA to reduce the number of black players in the English national team, but that remains a huge racial indictment of English football!
Black players have grown remarkably, into pretty objects of mockery on the pitch, as obsessed racist fans can’t seem to have enough of them. These racist fans imitate monkey sounds or throw banana peels into the pitch, often when a black footballer of an opposing side handles the ball. I really can imagine how that drives a black player nuts!
But regardless, instances of black players crying off the pitch or feeling extremely dejected during moments of racial abuse, quickens a large amount of discomfort in me!
Most recently, Everton Ruiz a black Brazilian footballer, wept uncontrollably in the possibly tender arms of his goalkeeper, after racial noises were directed at him. While I sincerely sympathize with Ruiz for suffering such insane humiliation, I strongly criticize his reaction!
Soaking your jersey in tears, or reacting in such a way that portrays you as emotionally broken or dejected, makes you reek of inferiority, low self-esteem, discontentment with your skin color and a desperate appeal to be accepted. You simply empower those racists with leverage to hurt black players some more!
Famous black footballer Mario Balotelli, had a torrid time during his stint at AC Milan. Part of which were the humiliating monkey chants he endured from the racist fans of his former side Inter Milan, during a game involving both soccer clubs. Given the wild emotional nature of Mario (which many believe, smeared his rise to lofty heights), one would expect him to quit the game, or protest in tears like most black footballers would.
But he kept his composure fully drenched in confidence and pride in his skin color, before placing a commandeering finger on his lips to signal the racist fans to keep quiet!
That seemed pretty much to me, a better way of handling racial provocations (until better ways are discovered!).
Sometime in 2014, former Barcelona player Dani Alves was targeted by Villarreal fans, who threw a banana at him. Alves picked up the banana, peeled it, took a bite and continued his game! That sure sent a strong message to the racial offenders, projecting his unique confidence and mature mental strength!
Black footballers have got to outgrow their cravings for sympathy and accord their skin color a lot more value and respect, especially in the face of racial abuse! Your skin color is black and you owe no apology for that. If some immature racists cannot comprehend that, and choose to throw scornful remarks at you, ignore the losers and carry on with your game.
Consistent ignoring of racial stunts from ‘loser-racists’, will kill whatever excitement they derive from racial abuse and eventually make the evil practice boring!
By Nimi Princewill
Twitter: @princewill_nimi
Black people must learn to appreciate that their skin is far superior to white skin. Every time a racist white passes a demeaning comment about blackness tell them immediately to stop being jealous of our God given skin. Some low self-esteemed blacks also are to blame for perpetuating the myth that white is better by trying to whiten their skins to look Caucasian , or wearing fake blonde hair. This is stup!d! Must stop!
What is this boka bringing to Zambia?
…blame must not be heaped on black players….people emotionally react differently to different circumstances….the FAs must take the full blame and responsibility…despite overwhelming evidence.. FAs do little to punish the offending fans and the club….in the Luiz example given above…the club should either be banned to play home game with rivals who have black players or ban their fans from home games…
Racism is in our friends genes. They help it so let’s just accept their stupidity.
You are right, imagine i was afraid to look Netanyahu in his eyes.
Players who react emotionally only try to emphasise the hard fact that the anti racism war is only getting worse while pro racist forces get stronger by the day. what with the conservatism of Mr Trump? blacks will always be on the receiving end because the divide is in poverty and accumulation. As long as Africa remain underdeveloped and its peoples praying to find their way to Europe and the Americas tears shall never end. It’s also clear that blacks no longer have any genuine leadership in this fight since the Mandela generation due to greed stimulating global trends and accumulative tendencies of international capital.
I have no problem na basungu. I have worked and lived with them stop stereotyping. Plus my son is married to umusungu and he has never been happier since leaving the crazy Zambian woman. That is not to say the all Zambia women are like that . Abasungu are people who are individuals plus awe nimbama Abasungu I remember my days abroad. Twalilila bane
Ukunyenga tabaishiba bane plus their equipment is not magical. Not attractive kwati iyabena @nubian
Good article and good response @Wantanshi!
Its like saying why do some people wail at funerals. People take on emotional pressures differently. Those that breakdown need support, not ridicule. “Supremacist” weaklings who hide their inadequacies behind colour, tribe, etc are the ones that need kicking out.
why should they cry like babies when they have their native countries? just come back home where you are appreciated not behaving like people who have no home countries.
Funny thing is Black people by Science are the only remaining humans on the planet. Homo Sapien Sapien. Problem is our brothers that play football didn’t get a chance to go further in school and read biology books. kikikikiki at the dumb eastern eurostupideans.
Oh poor Princewell!
You cannot tell the wood for the trees. You try to place blame and shame on the players for being human being and not the ruffians behind the acts. You must be a good muzungu.
Either you are being deliberately dense and crass, or are actually that f00lish by nature and nurture. Oh well
Show us you swastika and jackboots.
Its funny how white pipo laugh at our resembling monkeys wen their skin colour is exactly like a PIG! Disgusting PIG!!!
Lets put it this way, the ignorant fool attacking black players to grow up and stop whining, is livivg in some facade glass house. The racist culture that pervades most sports where black athletes are by far superior performers is served, nourished and unleashed by institutions whose inbuilt Modus Operandi is to spread and maintain the pervasive racial and cultural disdain. You have to be blind not to see that the only value placed on black athletes is their genetically high quality athletic superiority. These same institutions have in place mechanisms to forestall any forceful (VIOLENT) response from the victims. The Balkan states , Spain and Italy are notorious for these type attacks.Remember how long it took Africa to partake and actually qualify for the world cup?
And even then African teams were deemed too rough, not physical, that they almost always played against the referees finishing games with 2 or 3 men out. Value was added to our God given gift once accepted in the EURO lEAGUES. In fact the truely accepted teams from Africa are Egypt, Morrocc0, Algeria ,Tunisia and until the Green Book Libya. Do you see the conjecture? So whoever you are in that house made of fake glass, unless you have actually experienced institutionalised bigotry, please Shut up.