As Euro 2012 draws ever near, so the ugly shadows of racism, anti-Semitism and violence loom ever large, set to blight the beautiful game’s big summer bash.
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As Euro 2012 draws ever near, so the ugly shadows of racism, anti-Semitism and violence loom ever large, set to blight the beautiful game’s showpiece European tournament.
The racist violence and anti-Semitism at the heart of Polish and Ukranian football was exposed for the world to see on last night’s Panorama, BBC reporter Chris Rogers witnessing a group of Asian fans being attacked on the terraces of a Ukrainian premier league match and hearing sick anti-Semitic chanting at games in Poland. (Watch it on the iPlayer).
As Piara Powar, Executive Director of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), points out on Comment is free today, the risk of racist attack at the Euros is significant:
The Foreign Office advises black and Asian visitors to Ukraine to “take extra care”. Former England captain Sol Campbell responded to the Panorama footage by suggesting we watch the tournament at home or risk “coming back in a coffin”.
Football culture in many parts of eastern Europe has problems that are deep-seated and barely hidden – racism, neo-nazism and a profound hatred of gay people. Some of our monitoring shows the role football plays in perpetuating hate crimes. We found almost 200 incidents of racism and antisemitism in Polish and Ukrainian stadiums during an 18-month period to September 2011.
The situation in the host nations is so bad the families of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have said they will not travel to Poland and Ukraine because of the fear of racism. Not that the hatred should come as any great surprise.
There is, however, nothing in FARE’s knowledge of either country that has changed significantly since they were awarded the 2012 championships.
And as we reported last October:
Anti-Semitism is also rife in Eastern European football; only last month, Legia Warsaw fans displayed a “Jihad” banner during a Europa League group match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, prompting anti-racism campaigner Rafal Pankowski to comment:
“Some Legia fans have been known for anti-Semitic and extreme-right behaviour for years and they had a chance to express their hatred of Jews again when Legia played an Israeli team, this time adopting a pseudo-Islamist guise.”
“This is yet another case of anti-Semitic behaviour by extremist groups active in Polish football stadiums, and it could have been predicted.”
With Poland jointly hosting next summer’s European Championships, this incident, together with widespread hooliganism, racism and domestic anti-Semitism, will trouble fans and players – and should trouble UEFA, who have yet to take firm action against racist abuse of black players in Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, down the years.
• Obscene: Student sends racist tweets about dying Muamba 19 Mar 2012
• The scandal of Kenny Dalglish’s blinkered backing of Luis Suarez 5 Jan 2012
• Action must be taken whenever racism rears its ugly head – including in sport 12 Nov 2011
• Has racism returned to football? 25 Oct 2011
• All eyes on Barcelona as racism rears its ugly head again 3 May 2011
Not that we in this country have a perfect record when comes to ridding the game of prejudice, as the links above highlight and as we reported last May:
Such allegations [of racism and anti-Semitism] are not confined to the rest of Europe. Here, though at nothing like the levels seen in the past, racism, prejudice, bigotry still exist. Admittedly, not on the pitch, not amongst players or coaching staff, but in the stands, among more fans than we’d care to admit. It’s still there, and still not stamped out. Death threats. Anti-Semitism. Homophobia. Even parcel bombs.
Not to mention England’s former captain (and current squad member) going on trial for racism after the finals, and widespread sexism, but nothing like on the scale of what we look set to witness in Poland and Ukraine, and with politicians, media and authorities committed to highlighting and tackling the problem, sorely missing amongst the co-hosts. The battle against bigotry, at home and abroad, goes on.
22 Responses to “Euro 2012: Prepare for racism, anti-Semitism and violence in Poland and Ukraine”
Anonymous
…Most of them who are far right in their politics, something which should make anyone associated with that fringe squirm.
JessyP
To Grzegorgz – I’m struggling to understand how your points about a black MP and citizenship have anything to do with the documentary. Certainly, the Panorama piece reflected a minory sect in Poland and the Ukraine, however it highlighted a real societal problem that clearly needs to be addressed. Yes, there are certainly race crime issues in the UK, but by and large they are dealt with. Perhaps there is a low race crime rate in Poland and Ukraine because they are often not reported?
You know all about the racism, now read about the homophobia in the Euro 2012 hosts | Left Foot Forward
[…] Left Foot Forward reported last week, there are big fears racism, anti-Semitism and violence will mar Euro 2012, which kicks […]
Katie Stanton
Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain's families said they won't be in Poland/Ukraine because of fear of racism http://t.co/MygB9Z4R #Euro2012
Bellator the Great
Poland doesn’t have much of a race problem… there are a few non-Europeans and Jews, true, but they’re in small numbers. Hopefully the Poles manage to stop their country being destroyed like it has happened to Britain, France, etc.