MPs set to hold inquiry after racism cases

The media frenzy surrounding football race rows would give you the impression that racism in the game as spiralled out of control in recent months. Incidents involving high-profiles professionals and managers alike have heighted the media spot-light on racism in our beloved game. Race stories have been congesting the news agenda amid the controversial events. Distressingly it’s now reached the extent where MPs feel it’s now necessary to hold an inquiry following the number of allegations involving the sport’s top players.

Parliament has stepped in and will hold an inquiry into racism in sport. Conservative MP Damian Collins said that recent events had “reignited concerns about racism in the game.” The decision to go ahead with the inquiry follows major racial abuse allegations involving John Terry and Luiz Suarez.

Liverpool striker Suarez was fine £40,000 and given an eight-match-ban after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra. Suarez pleaded guilty to calling Evra a “negro” but he still pleads his innocence that he’s not a racist by refuting the allegations, saying the comments he made are not racist in his national Uruguay.  The story escalated out of control when the Liverpool team and manager Kenny Dalglish wore Suarez t-shirts in support for their marksman giving us the impression that the club condones the Uruguayan’s incomprehensible behaviour.

To worsen the situation this was all being played out in the back drop of John Terry’s imminent court hearing for allegedly racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand and therefore, blowing the Suarez story further into the media spotlight, due to its new found newsworthiness. The England captain will now face a criminal charge for using racist abusive language towards Ferdinand during their sides Premier League game last October.  Like Suarez, Terry also pleads his innocence has he’s vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to clear his name.

Alongside these cases Liverpool played a part in a further race incident, but this time it was involving one of their fans. A man was arrested and bailed after racially abusing Oldham Athletic player Tom Adeyemi in last Friday’s Third Round FA Cup tie. Adeyemi was visibly upset by the racial remarks and Liverpool’s authorities have been praised for their swift action finding the person responsible.

All this sparks a cause for concern but it’s hard not to believe that the three individual incidents have escalated out of control at a consequence of the media’s constant scrutiny. There is no place in the game for racism, but government inquiries are a little far-fetched. The games moved on, these incidents have happened and those who are found guilty will be punished. The FA’s eight-match-ban handed out to Luiz Suarez has set a benchmark which will prevent further racial discrimination regardless of player’s differing cross-cultural personalities. 

They say the inquiry isn’t aimed solely at football and that it will take a look at sport as a whole, as they feel recent event have reignited racism in the game. But it’s hard not to think that the Commons Culture Committee is wrongly pointing the finger at the World’s beautiful game.

Racism. Kick It Out!

James White @JRWhitemun

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