Kick racism out of Football

Yeah I get your point there. There's been plenty of games where I have played against different ethnicities. My team/s have less of an ethnic mix than some but I have played in sides with African and Indian players and never came across it. It's just a surprise to me that's all. I would be pretty uncomfortable [to say the least] witnessing it whether it was a player on my team or the opposition or even a spectator.

Also struggle to think that in a team of about 15 players, if there was one person making racist comments, that no one from that team would turn to that person and sort them out. You're not going to have 15 different people who think it's acceptable.

Find the idiots, get them out of the game. But let's stop making it football's job to change society - while implying all football players are racist. It's just far too simplistic. Football probably does far more than any sport in breaking down racist attitudes because of the diversity of those playing the game

Well when you get articles like today saying investigation into racism across the whole of Wellington football that implicates everyone associated with the game!

To which I say, bring it on.  Will hopefully demonstrate that football is a sport where minimal racism exists and that clubs have a hardline/zero tolerance for abuse in any form (e.g. racist, homophobic).

And those that are found to behave in this manner are put in a box with iron spikes on the inside.

Brilliant! :D

About 15% of senior footy has refs

Nah I think it was implying all Lower Hutt footballers are racist. Lucky I don't play for them or I'd be racist too.

The profound irony of this statement in this thread makes following these discussions worthwhile.  Would that be the white Serbs, Chinese, Americans, Japanese, Australians, to name a few playing football, or are they all just 'white' and because of that not being victims of racism?  Isn't that comment kind of.....racist?

Is calling someone a Pomme git or a Pomme B--st--d I've heard these before, so presumably these are racial slurs ?????? Purhaps a definition of a racial slur can be anything, and it can mean many things when given in the context of the situation, ie spoken in jest among a group of friends. Its a wonderful language the English language !!!!! That I understand is why the English language is so hard to learn, if you are not English speaking.  Just a thought.

That is Nationalism or xenophobia.

Xenaphobia:  Irrational fear of Lucy Lawless perching on your drilling rig for several days.

So im white and being racist towards other whites now? loI. Anyway ive never been a victim of racism on the football field. As far as i know all the white players i play with have never been victims of it either (kiwis, aussies, english, german, other european). Some may have, but id suspect it to be very rare. However, i have played with guys of Middle Eastern and African heritage (even some of the current Seatoun squad from their time at my club when Steve was also the coach 3-4 years ago) - most of them can reflect on numerous accounts of racism. Even at the U19s - so yeah its happening outside of Wellington. Have also witnessed one of our Turkish players being called a wog by a very notable and well known Miramar player whos played at the highest level of club football, and who everyone knows.

Ive also sadly been on sides guilty of racism especially in my college days. One of the worst instances i remember was playing against Wellington High, at least half their squad were African and copped a fair bit of hurt from a couple of guys on my side. That wasnt fun for anyone. The ref sent them both off from what i remember.

I have to say after reading the article on stuff today I am highly disappointed. I can confirm that this is not the first written complaint of this nature that cap football has received. Two seasons ago one of our players was so disheartened by the fact that he was being racially attacked consistently  week after week for being Asian (even though he was kiwi born and lived here his whole life). He wrote into CF complaining about a couple of players who were repeat offenders one who currently plays Central league. His only answer was that it had to go through the official channels i.e. through the club and that there was not much that could be done about it anyway. The player quit two days later.

So CF check your facts, and sort this S#*t out. While I am all for telling someone to F off on the field, there is no need for the racist stuff, especially when it results in players giving up the Beautiful game entirely.

Quite interesting bringing up the 'is it racist if you aren't black' thing.

We had a German lad who was called a Nazi a couple of years back, who almost killed the guy on the opposition team who said it. And frankly I can't blame him. I've seen comments about sticks n stones etc, but people can't understand till they have to live with this abuse.

At the end of the day, whether this leads to sanctions/punishments. Surely this is a case where football has to finally look at itself and ask why? It's been said before, but Jeez, who are we always the laughing squad for sport. Rugby had an all in brawl between two high school teams a few weeks back. Consequences - both teams out of competition. Football seems to think it's above the laws, my booking was soft and it's too big a fine. Then just shut up, play football and drop all the macho niggle/BS.

I'll probably get told I am being soft now, but the abusive side of football is getting old

Racism blues hit Palmy: see http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/8934220/Racism-blight-on-city-football

Shocked to find out racism also exists in the Manawatu!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/8934220/Racism-blight-on-city-football

I agree that the focus on racism here perhaps risks missing the point that there is just a wider culture of abuse in football. Racist, homophobic and other extreme forms of abuse are often just a vehicle for saying something hurtful in the heat of moment. Focusing on just one of those areas risks implicitly condoning the others. All forms of abuse need to be stamped out and a more positive way of doing it would be to focus much more on sportsmanship and playing the game hard but fair through coaching from the youngest age. For example, when was the last time your coach had a serious conversation with you about strategies to keep your emotions in check during a game? Or even how to show empathy for another person? This is part of the mental side of the game that we tend to ignore, and yet if done well can probably make a real difference to performance as well as creating a much more pleasant experience for everyone (unless you really believe in an old school approach of just winding everybody up like a pitbull and letting them go for it).

CF decisions on racism complaint.

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-4205-0-0-0&sID=233746&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=24796984

What's with the seatoun's witnesses and player not turning up for the hearing? And how did seatoun get their written statement so incorrect?

Harsh on AM for copping a suspension for calling someone a C after being provoked. Would probably happen numerous times in any game.

Good thorough statement/investigation from the Incident Group.

Bit disappointing that Seatoun didn't front up after making such a noise in the media

Agreed. At the very least an adjournment should have been sought if there were genuine reasons for their absence. The comment that "we were left with the disquieting feeling that his statement had served its purpose in the original red card hearing reducing his suspension to two weeks and that he had no further interest in pursuing the matter" is revealing.

Altogether an interesting decision, and not the most coherent one to read for anyone with legal training. For example, "we cannot rule out that racist comments were made" - their self-appointed standard was balance of probabilities, they weren't required to "rule out" anything. They just had to be satisfied that "the misconduct in question was more probably [sic] than not to have occurred".

Some good work-ons for Capital Football as well.

Are you sure that was the standard of proof required? Seems a little harsh to be found guilty of racism (a crime) based on balance of probabilities. Beyond reasonable doubt seems more appropriate for such an accusation. 

Just because it "happens numerous times in any game" doesn't mean it should be allowed, Feverish. Even if provoked. Given one of the teams you coach, I would have thought that word would be quite offensive to you.

You do get the feeling they had to be seen to be doing something though.

I'm not sure what "standard of proof" is actually required, and from reading the decision it doesn't seem like the Committee knew either. The standards they chose to adopt (and then apply slightly inconsistently) was as I have quoted.

Isn't something like that normally just a yellow card anyway? Or is swearing AT someone make it a suspension (and if heard by the ref a red card/suspension)?

Are you suggesting that Greenie coaches a team full of C's??  I thought Brodie was in charge of the Wharfies Masters.

Whey-hey.  Game, set and BANTZ everybody.

Heh.

Sure, in isolation a 2 week suspension (not a "ban") for swearing is harsh. Especially considering it wasn't picked up by the Ref. But it is a red card offence, and the Disciplinary Committee are allowed to take into account "extenuating circumstances". So, on the whole, it's not that unreasonable. Given the profile of the decision, allowing it to escape unpunished would not look good. And CF have enough troubles with PR at the moment.

But yeah, a little harsh. Feel free to tell your girls on Sunday your own opinion on the word, Greenie :)