Raheem is right & brave to criticise his treatment by some of the media and
white player. I think this is unacceptable. Both innocents have not done a thing wrong but just by the way it has been worded, this young black kid is looked at in a bad light.
“It helps fuel racism and aggressive behaviours, so for all the newspapers that don’t understand why people are racist in this day and age all I have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity and give all players an equal chance.”
Police are studying the TV footage from the flashpoint in the 37th minute when a Chelsea fan appears to call Sterling a “black c***”. It has led to growing pressure on Chelsea to ban the fan for the abuse as it was shared across social media and has brought fresh shame on English football.
A source close to Sterling said: “This is disgusting and Raheem or any other player of colour should have to put up with this behaviour. It will be interesting to see what Chelsea do as a club.”
The FA confirmed the incident and issued a statement: “We take all allegations of discrimination extremely seriously and will work with the clubs and the relevant authorities to ensure this matter is dealt with appropriately.
“We strongly condemn all forms of discrimination and encourage all fans and participants who believe that they have been the subject of, or witness to, discriminatory abuse to report it through the appropriate channels: The FA, our County FAs or our partners Kick It Out.”
Chelsea have issued a statement promising a “zero tolerance policy” on racism and they will issue a lifetime ban if it is proved that racist language was used. The Metropolitan Police are now investigating but, incredibly, the supporter was spoken to but not ejected and could even be seen pointing to his watch during the game when approached by stewards, as he clearly asked to see the end of the match.
The incident has led to widespread condemnation on social media and Manchester City have also pledged to co-operate fully with the investigation.
Former England captain Rio Ferdinand said: “Are we going to continue to allow this type of racist behaviour go on? All for kicking a ball!”
Anti-racism group Kick It Out issued a statement which read: “We’ve received reports from a variety of sources about an incident of alleged racist abuse at the Chelsea-Manchester City game.
“We will forward those to Chelsea and offer our support in their investigation.
“Yet another great day of football damaged by prejudice.”
Chelsea will request TV footage as they try to identify the fan who could be banned for life if found guilty of using racist language. In the past, the club has banned supporters even on “balance of probability” because they are determined to stamp out trouble.
Stewards are under orders to eject people for racist abuse and they will also be spoken to in an effort to discover what was heard and why the fan was allowed to stay until the end of the game. LET’S get one thing straight. Raheem Sterling hasn’t drawn a line in the sand for snap TV and radio debates, Twitter polls or to drive “content”.
He isn’t after preferential treatment. He doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder and he isn’t playing the so-called race card.
Sterling is changing the game. He is showing players that just as black athletes across the Atlantic are using their voices to rewrite the narrative, the same can be done here.
It is entirely justified for him to question whether the negative media towards him is empowering the kind of Neanderthals caught on camera straining every sinew to abuse him at Chelsea.
Of course, there will be people today looking to slap him down. Same as it has always been with black players.
People insisting it was the same for the likes of Gazza and Rooney. People asking why other players don’t get it and people seeking to undermine the obvious by picking holes in his argument.
In the wider climate, however, the vilification of Raheem Sterling (above) has been a bone of contention for quite some time.
White people have been seeing it as much as the black people privately fuming or resigned to shrugging their shoulders because they don’t have the profile to make some noise.
For our broadcast media today, the Sterling thing will be five or six minutes of airtime before they move on to the next thing.
For black people, it is a microcosm of their lives. And the brutal truth is that others are just as guilty. Not just those sections of the press targeted. And not sports journalists. They have a better relationship with Sterling than you might think.
It’s the other media that jump on bandwagons because there are hits and retweets in it.
The TV and radio stations that point the finger elsewhere, but frame this debate in an incendiary way, instead of simply getting behind him.
Can their consciences really be clear right now?
Then you have the governing bodies with their hand-wringing sympathies, all of it lip service.
The most remarkable aspect of the incident at Stamford Bridge on Saturday was that the guy was in the front row at a game he’d have known would be on live TV.
Cast your mind back to last week’s banana-skin thrower, clearly visible at the North London derby, a game with a thousand cameras. Yet emboldened enough to hurl his invective along with the skin at a black footballer.
Has our media created a culture enabling football fans to treat players in such a manner? Yes. Saturday is where it leads. To incidents like the one in December 2017 when Sterling was attacked outside Manchester City’s training ground. To situations where Sterling is the scapegoat when England play badly. A player is built up to become a hate figure then people are shocked at the level of hate he receives.
I’ve been privileged to work for the Daily Mirror, a paper that has given me the platform to raise issues like race, the lack of black managers and the game’s inability to protect players from abuse.
What appears to matter elsewhere is the near-contempt for young black men for having money, social status and opinions.
How dare they buy houses for their parents? How dare they express opinions as Sterling did with his support for the Labour MP Dawn Butler? How dare they be so miserly when they earn so much? How dare they flaunt their cash when hard-working fans don’t have as much?
So, when Sterling travels around the country playing for his club or England, a narrative has been set and he gets it.
When people cross the line in the stands, excuses are made for them. Clubs don’t want to be associated with racism, so advise against going for it unless you can be legally certain. Miscreants get off the hook. The cycle continues. As I kid, I watched John Barnes get more stick than any other player when England played poorly. As an adult, I am seeing it with Sterling.
A different agenda is being set now, though. Sterling is showing a new generation that it is possible to fight back. I’d love to see more current players get behind him.