RACISM IN FOOTBALL: TRAGEDY AND IMPUNITY

In 2012, FC Porto was fined 20,000 euros due to racist acts of their fans towards Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli [1] . Eighteen months later, City returned a minute late for the second half against Sporting , receiving a 30,000 euros fine #wtf [2].

Photo: Shalom Life

In September 2013, the Lazio fans uttered antisemitic chants towards AS Roma’s fans during the game against Legia Warsaw [3]. The UEFA’s initial punishment was for Lazio to play behind closed doors the next game, but it was reduced only to a 40,000 euros fine [4].

The following month, Manchester City’s Yaya Toure was the target of racist chants from CSKA Moscow’s fans , and demanded that the team was banned by UEFA [5]. He said : “It’s unbelievable. They’re stupid, they’re just stupid. UEFA has to take action to right it otherwise I think they will just continue”. However, the punishment was just closing part of the stadium in the next game [6] .

Two weeks ago, it was brazilian Tinga’s turn to be the target of racist acts, coming from peruvian Real Garcilaso’s fans, during a Copa Libertadores’ game . The punishment imposed was 12,000 dollars [7], obviously disappointing the player : “I hoped that punishment would be more than just a fine and warning. I wish it was a punishment with a social impact, with the club having to do some social project to educate fans about the importance of combating racism”.

The words of Touré and Tinga unfortunately are not being heard yet. We deal too lightly with these heinous acts , and impunity is obviously the way to the repetition of these events . A fine is too little, as well as closing the stadium for some games. This is not justice, and for us to get closer to it, we need the punishments to get closer to the one back in the 80′s, which after the death of 39 fans, banned english clubs from UEFA competitions for five years.

Igor Cruz

03/24/2014