howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
it is quite normal at football grounds in eastern and parts of southern europe for black players to be racially abused so it was something of a surprise that poland and ukraine were chosen as hosts.
we were told that a zero tolerance approach to the problem would be taken yet even before the tournament got underway dutch players were taunted with monkey noises at an open training session.
the response to this is "we'll let it go this time", hardly sends the right message.
SWWood- Location: Dover
- Registered: 30 May 2012
- Posts: 261
#2
It was inevitable that there would be race issues at this tournament from the moment they awarded Poland and Ukraine the right to host it. These issues should have been sorted out years ago, certainly before UEFA take a championship there. And it's not just Eastern Europe. Football powerhouses like Spain, Italy and Portugal also have problems in this area. The worrying thing is that denial is still the default position for the authorities involved, and if/when the racist chant start, it will be brushed under the carpet.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
that was my point sw the problem is widespread in eastern and southern europe.
it seems acceptable as police and stewards do nothing to stop it going on, the problem was stopped here the best part of 30 years ago.
black players in the england squad said that their families would not be going to the tournament for that reason.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
#4
Yes it does seem a shame howard that this should over shadow, what should be a tournament that all football fans i'm sure want to enjoy.
SWWood- Location: Dover
- Registered: 30 May 2012
- Posts: 261
#5
It is disgraceful that the tournament is underway and racism is still the main topic of conversation. I hope there are no problems, but if there are it will be interesting to see how the nations involved react. There is no time to replay games in tournament football, so what happens if a team walks off the pitch due to racist abuse? There is a real danger that this issue could really blow up in UEFA's face.
Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
#6
I find it amazing that people would expected anything les from Eastern Europe
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#7
lets just hope it doesnt get any worse
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#8
Well I watched all the glorious football last night and it was really good and exciting stuff. The opening ceremony was fine and special. Fiona Bruce in her closing line on the BBC News last night said that..." the opening of Euro 2012 was overshadowed by racism".
I think that was complete baloney myself. There is a tendency for news programmes to play up the dramatic in order to have a story. I did see the Panorama programme the previous monday about race issues in the Ukraine. It wasnt pleasant, and race problems clearly exist but the opening games were played in Poland and they were neither overshadowed nor marred by race problems. All played in fine spirit and excellent football to boot.
This is not to say that race issues dont exist in the Ukraine, but there is a tendency to overdramatise the big occasion...if the news guys find ten racists within ten miles of a game, then the whole thing supposedly becomes "marred".
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#9
we will get a better idea after today's two games where portugal and holland are involved.