Euro
2012: England manager Roy Hodgson fears his squad will have to suffer racist
abuse
England’s football manager Roy Hodgson is afraid that some of his team
players will be subjected to racial abuse during Euro 2012. Earlier this week
there was a racial incident at the training session of the Dutch football
players. Black players of the Dutch national team were the targets of monkey
chants during an open training in Krakow, Poland. Monkey chants were heard from
a specific stand and the team felt compelled to move to another side of the
stadium. The English and the Dutch players have the same base to train in the
city of Krakow and Roy Hodgson is aware that a potential threat faces his black
players. Two of England’s black players, Alex Oxlade and Theo Walcott, already
advised their family to stay at home because of the alleged racial threats in
Ukraine. The Uefa is also aware of the probability of racial abuse towards
England’s black team players and they fear the problem is widespread in
Ukraine. Uefa maintains a zero tolerance policy which means that referees have
been given the power to stop football matches in case of any unacceptable
racist behaviour.
Just before this bad incident happened, the Dutch team has paid a visit to
Auschwitz. The whole team was totally shocked of what they saw and everybody
agreed that what happened there to 1.5 million Jews was one of the worst things
ever happened to mankind Therefore it is all the more frightening that the same
feeling of discrimination and racism is expressed to the football players who just want to play a fair
game. It should not be the case that team players advise their families not to
come over because of fear for some horrible people from society. I am also a
football fan and I strongly reject any form of violence in the football scene.
I really hope racial incidents will not continue and that Euro 2012 can look
back on a pleasant event for everybody.
