A note on racism. . .

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a rather cynical, ill-conceived rant concerning the Emmanuel Adebayor incident involving his behavior at the Mancheser City vs. Arsenal match. In this overtly condemning post, I stated that Adebayor should have been punished for both his "stamp" on Arsenal's Robin Van Persie, as well as his pitch-length celebration following his goal.

Since publishing, I've become increasingly aware of both the details of the incident, as well as gained a clearer understanding of the football climate and cultural context. While I still firmly believe that the FA was correct in punishing Emmanuel for kicking Van Persie, the punishment for his celebration seems increasingly inappropriate -- Adebayor was issued a three-game suspension.

There have been a few recent events which have encouraged my change in attitude:

1) Craig Bellamy's actions at last weekend's Manchester derby featuring Manchester City and Manchester United.

As seems obvious, at least to me, Bellamy struck a man, who was IN CUSTODY at the time, in the face. Originally, the FA announced that they would look into the matter and the Manchester Police said they would launch a probe as well. However, this morning it was announced that the Manchester Police had dropped the investigation and the FA would not pursue any punishment. The FA claimed that they decided against charging Bellamy with improper conduct because "referee Martin Atkinson told FA officials that he would not have sent off the Welsh star had he seen the incident. (EuroSport)"

2) Gary Neville's bench behavior at the Derby.

I searched for footage of the incident, but couldn't find anything. Neville ran the length of the pitch along the sideline, toward Manchester City fans, to celebrate following Michael Owen's 97' goal, and, once arriving in front of the fans, he seemingly realized what he did and returned to the bench, acting as if he had just been warming up--in the 97 minute of a match that should have been over after 95 minutes. Today, the FA announced that Neville would receive no punishment.

3) Allegations of racism surrounding Blackburn forward El-Hadji Diouf.

As told by Diouf, during his team's defeat of Mersyside, he went to retrieve an out of play ball when a ballboy innapropriately threw the ball back towards Diouf ("The ball-boy threw the ball at me like a bone to a dog"). T major allegations made are by the ballboy, who claims that Diouf exerted -- for lack of a better term and with foreshadowing symbolism in mind -- "reverse racism" on him in his verbal harassment.

Further, Diouf is now claiming that Everton fans threw bananas at him in his most recent match after the allegations of verbal abuse surrounding the ballboy incident. Everton has since denied the "fruit throwing" allegations after they were unable to find any bananas on the pitch following play and, further, are demanding an apology from Diouf.

4) Blackpool's Jason Euell subjected to racism by Stoke supporters.

Bellamy's actions were more severe than Adebayor's -- Adebayor merely incited aggression among Arsenal fans while Bellamy physically struck a Manchester United fan; Neville's celebration was as ill-conceived and virtually identical to Adebayor's -- minus the fact that Neville didn't score the goal himself.

With regards to celebrations, I've matured in a Terrell Owens; Chad Ocho Cinco; Tiger Woods fist pump riddled culture. To me, if an athlete wants to take a moment to, in moderate, celebrate following a goal/score, then he or she is most certainly entitled to, while using an ethical judgment. Entertaining, creative celebrations are just that; entertaining. Context is important, as it was in the Adebayor incident where his celebration resulted in fans throwing objects on the pitch, but if celebration's are seemingly part of the football culture, then it's difficult to deduce when a celebration crosses the line. What is comical and enjoyable to one football fan is another man's temperamental catalyst.

Using the four aforementioned incidents as a contextual framework to look at the Adebayor incident, there seems a fairly prevalent juxtaposition in the significant cultural and contextual elements: race.

I'm not going to claim that either the FA or Arsenal fans in attendance of the match are inherently racist. Nor am I going to claim that the media are. But, it must be noted that the climate surrounding Adebayor was unusually hostile and the aftermath was not typical and seemed unnecessary. Just as it has been accused of playing a dirty role in current American politics surrounding the unusually critical and insidious environment surrounding President Obama, it seems as if race is playing a role in the Adebayor situation, at least in a contextual framework.

There is an unmistakable racist element to football, particularly English football. Not only has the fan culture perpetuated this claim, but the very acts of the administrations and institutions has as well.

I recently charged the FA with implementing a policy with nativist, protectionist, racist elements to it.

While this post isn't exclusive to English football, there is a clear divide in media coverage and international acceptance when it comes to English football; an international press largely dominated by individuals with a particular investment in English football/culture clearly affects the sports media coverage. It does seem however, that other leagues, (ie. Italy Serie A) are combating racism on a stricter level than the FA currently is.

Wherein sports are seemingly an egalitarian exercise where individuals are forced onto an even playing field, an environment without status quo restraints, a place where the proverbial David can feat the Goliath. Yet, the institutional framework of sports carries with it a tendency for an old-boys-network of ownership, corporation, and conservative policies. As is seen in the rigorous vetting of owners in the premiere league (as is similar in American sports leagues) as well as the stereotype of the "great white hope" footballer, the underlying parliamentary, conservative ideologies and beliefs of British society are carried into the countries national pastime.

For more information read an online copy of "The Changing Face of Football: racism, identity and multiculture in the English game" (Here)

I also came across an organization dedicated to combating racism in football, Kick it Out (Here)


Stay democratic . . .

-Barry

Here is an excerpt from an article I wrote on the American sports media and its racist tendencies:

"While our memories of Michael Jordan collapsing over gold trophies, or
him silencing a crowd and ruining dreams with final moments of greatness
25 times in his career; or a young, charismatic Tiger Woods strolling
victory laps Sundays at Augusta National or his descend into emotion
crying in his father's arms may stand as great moments in sporting
history; a black glove solute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the
1968 Olympics, a conscious objection by Muhammad Ali in Houston in the
spring of 1967, or Jackie Robinson stepping to home plate in 1947 exist
as critical moments in our lives today. . .
"Although the racial atmosphere in sports has changed dramatically in
recent history, today the media stands as the most scrutinized
perpetrator of racial generalizations, stereotypes, and ill-commentary
in the sporting world. In the age of ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN.com, and the
BlackBerry, sports fans are increasingly able to develop relationships
with their favorite stars and are, unfortunately, subjected to mounting
doses of cattiness and vernacular cruelty from sports writers and
analysts."
Continue reading . . .

Photo(s): Emmanuel Adebayor, El-Hadji Diouf, Jason Euell, Wilt Chamberlain

Emmanuel Adebayor. . .Stamping what? Inflammatory celebration what?

For those who missed it. . .

It's ironic that only days after I spoke of my loathing for nihilistic football (sports) fans, only days following my condemnation of club supporters who consider fan-hood an entitlement rather than a luxury, Manchester City F.C.'s new star Emmanuel Adebayor (Forward - Togo) disgraced himself, his club, his city, and the sport in his childish antics in Manchester City's 4-2 victory over Arsenal this weekend.

(Watch Video Footage Below)

For those unaware, Adebayor spent four seasons with Arsenal before signing to Manchester City this summer for 25 million pounds. Since his signing, Adebayor has ruthlessly criticized Arsenal and his former fans. In the days leading up to the match, it was obvious that there could be a potential confrontation between Arsenal (fans) and Adebayor.

As it appears, Adebayor consciously "stamped" on the face of Arsenal's Robin Van Persie (Forward - Netherlands) following a Van Persie slide tackle. Van Persie sought medical treatment, before returning to play and, in keeping with both his football skill and athletic character, scored a goal later in the match.

On the official arsenal website, Van Persie issued the following statements:

"He set out to hurt me. I do feel lucky that I have not received a greater injury."

"I have not received an apology from him, there were no words exchanged afterwards. He had his own agenda today and that is bad for football. It's bad for the game we all love."

Adebayor told reporters:

"I was trying to kick the ball. I see him tackling and I don't have time to take my feet back because I'm trying to kick the ball."

"My feet touch his head. I feel sorry for him and even straight away, and at the end of the game, I said sorry."

As for the second part of this story, following Adebayor's head-in goal ('80) he sprinted the length of the pitch and maliciously taunted Arsenal fans, for which the referee issued him a yellow card. Adebayor's celebration infuriated Arsenal fans to the point where they hurled objects on the pitch; one such object incidentally struck a steward, who needed to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

Obviously, the FA are looking into the situation and most rumors are saying that Adebayor will receive a multiple game suspension.

Since starting with Manchester City, Adebayor (and other transfer season signing Carlos Tevez) have made a huge impact. Manchester City is currently third in the Premiership table, but have played one fewer game then the other four top teams. Adebayor has four goals scored in four games played.

I've been a huge fan of Adebayor's talent since becoming a Premiership follower, but his temperament and character is clearly questionable. While I'm routinely quick to give athletes a lot of moral leeway when engaged in competition, athletes often broach a point where playful taunting becomes insidiously disrespectful, where displays of self-pride and inner-celebration become boastful moments of profligacy.

While I do agree with Charles Barkley that athletes don't need to be role models, they do need to be aware that in certain instances, at certain times, athletes themselves transcend their sport, while their sport simultaneously transcends itself. Sports, at times, become more than just a sport, as we all now. In the make of the West Ham United/Millwall anarchy, Adebayor should and needs to be more consciously aware of the repercussions that inciting aggression among football fans can have.

Adebayor's actions were, at best, immature.

Adebayor's punishment should be at two distinct levels: 1) he should be suspended 2-3 games (Manchester City plays 9/20 vs. Manchester United, 9/23 vs. Fulham (Carling Cup), and 9/28 vs. West Ham United) and 2) the Premiership should force Manchester City to, as Juventus had to, play a match behind closed doors -- hence losing ticket revenue for a match.

While its often said that sport builds character, it can be equally discerned that sports are character revealing even at the most elementary of levels. Whereas aggressiveness, egotism, gamesmanship, and, well...cheating, have a place and time (Michael Jordan's foul) in sports, the fabric of sports often exists primarily within the moral compass that it is founded on, that it is played under.

(**Update**)

My initial response portrays Adebayor as the sole instigator of the situation that erupted on Saturday, improperly so. It should have been more duly noted that the Arsenal fans behaved similarly childish and are responsible for inciting Adebayor's response. While he clearly escalated the incident to that beyond the acceptable confines of gamesmanship (both among players and fans), the actions of the Arsenal players was disrespectful and disappointing as well.

-Barry

Footage of the "stamp" in question and Emmanuel Adebayor's goal and subsequent celebration:

See BBC Football story (Here)

See ESPN Soccernet story (Here)

Quotes taken from BBC Football Story

Photo(s): Emmanuel Adebayor w/ Mark Hughes, Robin Van Persie, Emmanuel Adebyaor