Buck’s presence felt as Chelsea look to tackle accusations of racism and anti-Semitism
– Eamonn Sweeney
CHELSEA’s chairman, Bruce Buck, was among officials who met fans off coaches here at Brighton as a tacit reminder that this was an important day for their club. Today brings another one, when Uefa is expected to say whether anti-Semitic chants heard in Budapest in midweek were included in the referee’s report.
After Raheem Sterling was abused at Stamford Bridge last weekend, and journalists and at least one Chelsea fan reported chants about Spurs and “Yids” in Hungary, followers of Maurizio Sarri’s team were subjected to shaming by Brighton and Hove Albion supporters, who chanted in the second half: “You know what you are, you racist b-----ds, you know what you are.” The Chelsea end merely sang: “Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that.”
There is a long tradition of fans exploiting the discomfort of rival tribes by drawing attention to offensive episodes, and Chelsea can expect more judgments of this kind.
The club will try to draw attention this week to the work they have been doing to educate those who are capable of learning about racism, anti-Semitism and other forms of abuse, and isolating those who refuse to listen.
Foremost in that second group are the far-right zealots, 40 of whom travelled to Budapest for the Europa League game against Vidi with a flag showing an SS death’s head insignia, the words “No Surrender” and the boast, “You have been nominated and dealt with by the Chelsea Headhunters”.
None of the fans photographed with the flag are believed to have
attended the game but may have been drawn instead by Hungary’s hard-right political leanings. Chelsea insist the old Combat 18 and Headhunter culture of the 1970s and ’80s has been driven out of stadiums, though pockets of racism and bigotry continue to set the tone for some chants and embroil Chelsea in high-profile crimes.
On a day when Eden Hazard’s brilliance overwhelmed Brighton, Buck and other Chelsea officials mingled with fans before they entered the Amex Stadium.
Privately, some Chelsea directors are exasperated by the persistence of those fans who refuse to consider the damage to the club caused by their warped world view.
“Any individuals that can’t summon the brainpower to comprehend this simple message and are found to have shamed the club by using anti-Semitic or racist words or actions will face the