Closed PSG 1-1 Chelsea

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I believe that it is definitely possible to be racist and still be a "fan" of athletes of other races. It's an admiration that's rooted in racial bias and stereotyping - it is still racist. It's the argument that stems from seeing coloured athletes as objects that provide a service than against any ordinary person practicing their sport. Donald Sterling had a plantation style of views. You're rooting for the blacks the same way you would root for a rooster in a cock fight. Racism doesn't often come as blind hatred of another race, but rather bigoted stereotypes. For example, there's a particular caricature of black men as the 'black buck' which received a recent bump in news coverage recently during the Michael Brown case in the US. The idea that black men are good athletes--indeed, intrinsically better than white men--is common among racists. The flip side of this belief is usually that they're lecherous, criminal, ect.

The club have already issued an appeal for witnesses to step up to help identify those persons involved, so hopefully that'll work someway into incorporating the wider picture - and not just the club's, as you said. A friend of mine was on the train with them, and someone asked them to quieten down, to put it nicely, but they continued their bigot chanting that has fundamentally tarnished our global brand. I do believe he sent additional footage to the Met police.

Whether their actions result in life time bans remains to be seen, I wouldn't be too surprised if they were already banned from home matches. Perhaps the club could order the group, if ultimately found guilty, to hand in their passports to a local police station each time we play abroad. It's laudable to see action being taken so swiftly without no nonsense half-apologies, just promises of bans and strong anti-racism that has no place in our society.

This perfectly bookends what I believe.

[Zakadinho 84]