Racism and anti-semitism at football grounds

Euro 2012: England manager Roy Hodgson fears his squad will have to suffer racist abuse  

By Jason Burt http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/9321093/Euro-2012-England-manager-Roy-Hodgson-fears-his-squad-will-have-to-suffer-racist-abuse.html

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.