Racist. Sexist. Bigoted. Why is it that these three prejudices are so easily injected into the world of sport? When we started out in journalism forty years ago we were told that the sports pages were the only part of the daily paper that celebrated the triumph of mankind. The rest underscored its failures.
That really is not true. Much as we preach the gospel of tolerance those in power seem to exercise exactly the opposite sentiment. Last week we had the president of the Russian soccer federation Shamil Tarpischev fined the maximum of $25,000 and banned for a year from the women’s circuit for referring to Serena and Venus as the “Williams brothers.”
This week we have the Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero waspishly displaying his anger over Inter Milan’s Indonesian owner Erik Thohar referring him to as ‘that Filipino’ in what was clearly a collective and derogatory snipe at orientals.
From the days of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in 1947 (though having achieved the status of being a legend he often stayed in a separate hotel from his team mates) the attempts by sports associations to eliminate racism have failed to scotch it. We love to display our global liberalism by pretending things are much better now but in, all honesty, they sometimes seem to have gotten worse.
The list of slurs is endless and ugly and demeans and diminishes us all. Whether it is the famous Suarez verbal abuse of Patrice Evra in 2011 or the dramatic mega-event of Chelsea captain John Terry allegedly insulting QPR’s Anton Ferdinand, things don’t take that necessary U turn to drive away from racism forever.
You can have all the slogans you want and the ‘come together’ exercises are noble and touching and so are the efforts by the UN, FIFA, media and even world leaders but it is a fragile defense. Ergo, we are all more aware of its existence than before, but, paradoxically, that awareness seems to feed the monster rather than slay it. Every foolish utterance or misconduct gets massive play and perpetuates the divide.
Think of it. Not three months ago the now President of the Italian football federation referred to African soccer players as ‘banana eaters’ while on his campaign trail. Yet, he won the election.
What possible explanation can there be for these sort of statements. Is it stereotyping? Poorly contained hostility that spills over? An ingrained dislike for those who different? All these and more.
Which is why, despite all the legislation, the mindset has to change. It is often a sub-conscious remark that underscores the impact of lessons taught young and taught too well. We absorb images from cinema, TV, literature and history and they stay with us.
Much truth is said in jest and that is a refuge many of the race-baiters take when confronted or caught. “We were only joking, there was no malice in it.” It is a very weak argument because no one can equate humor with making people feel small.
It is not just blacks who get targeted. Women pay the price from male chauvinists. In 2001 when Venus came to watch Serena play for the championship at Indian Wells she was verbally assaulted and booed. Her dad, Richard wrote: The chorus of boos that cascaded through the stadium sent a powerful message to America, to Venus, to Serena, and to me. It was a message from the past, one America tries to put behind it but can never forget. It was a snapshot from the days when the open humiliation of the black race was accepted without question.
Religion gets a look in. Ask Moin Ali who plays cricket for England and was loudly booed by the Indian supporters as much for his antecedents as for his beard.
His response: A lion doesn’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep, so I just get on with it, there will always be haters.
That is just it. The hate that seems to be distilled in a crucible of ignorance, definitely fear of the ‘other guy’ and resentment because of the way the social system is permitted to function.
But more than all this what is galling is the ease with which folks in positions of authority can glibly apologize the next day and still be part of the command totem pole. You are not sorry, you are only being expedient. A short ban, a fine, a reprimand and a PR statement are mere band-aids for a deeper wound than we would like to believe. Not enough consequences.
