Anti-racism in Football Week takes annually in October

Anti-racism in Football Week takes annually in October.




Racism is the mistaken belief that people of one particular race are either superior or inferior to those from other races. In reality all people, whatever their backgrounds, are equal. There is only one race: the human race. Football is still not yet exempt from racism. Recently both Dwight Yorke and Muzzy Izzet were high-profile victims of mass racial abuse. Oxford United fans were heard chanting, on more than one occasion, the anthem of the far-right: 'No surrender to the IRA'. Thankfully, overt racist abuse by Oxford supporters is very rarely heard nowadays. There are no more mass 'monkey chants', no obnoxious 'I'd rather be a Paki than...' proclamations. There remain the rather ridiculous chauvinistic chants when Cardiff, Swansea or Wrexham come to visit and, whilst it would be nice to hear them come to an end, they are sung with less gusto and hostility than they once were. Sheffield Wednesday fans combated their own moronic element, who started chanting 'I'd rather be a Paki than a Blade', by outsinging them with 'I'd rather be a Blade than a bigot'. The 'No surrender' chant should be outsung with 'No surrender to the racist scum', to show that we really are United against racism. There is still an issue with individuals abusing others, players and fellow spectators, on racial grounds and this should not be tolerated. These people should not be allowed to spread their poison, and must be challenged. If you hear someone racially abusing someone else tell them what you think of their ignorant opinions, especially if they are someone you know. A football ground should be a place where anyone, regardless of their ethnicity, can watch a football match free from fear or intimidation.