Manchester City star Mario Balotelli said he would walk off the pitch if he is racially abused. Michel Platini thinks a yellow card would stop him.
It has been quite a 24 hours in the football world, and there are reasons for football fans to hear that all is not well in their sport.
Euro 2012 kicks off tomorrow, and the whole world is excited to see what will happen. But it’s not just excitement, there is a sense of trepidation too.
There have been several documentaries and news reports raising awareness of the racism problem in both Poland and Ukraine, and a fair amount of scaremongering too – here’s looking at you Sol Campbell.
If these fears manifest themselves and become reality in the stadiums, there is no question the first European Championship in Eastern Europe will become overshadowed, and it won’t bode well for Russia 2018 either.
UEFA are clearly fearful, after threats from star players and ex-pro’s that they could walk off the pitch mid-game if they are racially abused, and that would turn the tournament into a farce the organisation, in their own self-vested interests want to avoid.
UEFA supremo Michel Platini has waded into the debate, ordering referees to book any players who try to walk off in protest.
Once again, Platini has widely misjudged the mood around Europe, and scored a big own goal in the PR stakes.
It would have been far better for him to come out and say UEFA sympathises with any players who fear they are being abused and that the authorities will investigate and issue sanctions on the home support if proved, while at the same time pleading for players not to walk off.
The way he has played it, has looked as though he does not have the interests of the players at heart, and gives power to any racists, who could even try and antagonise opposing players into getting booked or even picking up a second yellow and earning a dismissal.
Platini’s approach is not a good one for the sport to take, and once again looks as though football’s governing bodies are off the step in the fight against racism, just like FIFA’s Sepp Blatter who said players should shake hands after the game regardless of abuse.
An equally dangerous trend in the football world is the move announced by Cardiff City yesterday, that they were switching the colours of their home strip from blue to red.
Quite ridiculous when you consider their nickname is the Bluebirds(!) The move was announced by the club’s Malaysian owners, who claim playing in red will make them more successful and more marketable.
An attempt to re-brand them with the Welsh dragon prominent on their emblem has been shoehorned into the mix. They consulted on the plans last month and they were met with derision, so it was remarkable they went ahead and did it any way.
The owners promise that as a result they will throw in up to £100 million to spend on new players and the stadium, but it is a drastic step to take, wiping out years of history. Supporters are also entitled to ask where exactly the money is coming from.
It is the type of interference Manchester United fans threatened to fight when news of the Glazers taking over broke in 2005, and the sort of approach fans simply hate. This episode has shown though just how powerless supporters are when it comes to their owners making decisions.
It is reminiscent of Wimbledon being ripped away from their community and becoming the MK Dons, and more poignantly, Austria Salzburg changing their name to become Red Bull Salzburg seven years ago.
We describe the move as dangerous, because football clubs are iconic and steeped in history, and this should be embraced rather than torn up and re-written. Cardiff should be blue, and the red should be their away kit; not the other way around.
Like Platini, Cardiff owner Vincent Tan has shown he just does not get it.
Racism and power-hungry owners; are these the two biggest dangers in football?
image: © klearchos
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