Hammer race abuse players with year ban.. they might learn lesson if they can’t make a living or feed their family
SAYS MARVIN BARTLEY
MARVIN BARTLEY says he’s heartbroken by the Glen Kamara affair and wants players found guilty of racism banned for a year.
The Livingston captain admits he has no faith in UEFA taking the appropriate action against Ondrej Kudela and Slavia Prague in the wake of Thursday’s Ibrox storm.
But talks held with a host of footballers throughout the UK in the wake of the shocking episode has strengthened his resolve to continue the fight.
Bartley wants teams to walk off the pitch in protest and insists the European game’s governing body must hammer guilty parties by kicking them out the sport for at least 12 months.
He said: “When players or sections of the crowd start racially abusing someone, you have to hit them financially. “Give them a year’s ban. If that player can’t feed his family and can’t earn a living then they would soon think about it. “A five, six-game ban makes no difference because they’re back once they serve the suspension. You get a longer ban for a bad tackle. The solution is heavy fines and long bans. “Something has to change. It’s getting more heartbreaking every time something like this happens. It’s time for authorities to step in and do something. “Do I have confidence in them? No, I don’t. That’s the disappointing thing.” While Kamara and captain Connor Goldson erupted in fury at Kudela – accused of calling the Gers midfielder “a f ****** monkey” – Rangers completed their Europa League second leg tie.
Bartley said: “We’ve had discussions about whether players should walk off the pitch. If the game is on TV, you’ll get broadcasters asking why the game isn’t going ahead.
“Then the authorities will do something because, when it comes to finances, things happen. So that’s the next step. Let’s see how good a game it is when there’s only one team.
“If they want to hand out huge fines for teams walking off then it tells you all you need to know. The ball’s in their court.”
Slavia’s ultras followed up by posting a vile, racist picture of a banner against Kamara.
Bartley has been on the receiving end of sickening racist abuse online himself.
He said: “People abusing others because of the colour of their skin – it’s the hardest thing to deal with. Whatever rage you’ve ever felt, times that by 100. What happened the other day has hit me hard.
“I’ve played against Glen a lot of times and he doesn’t react to anything. As soon as you see a player react that way you know something really bad was said.
“I hoped it wasn’t that but thought it was. Some seem to think we have to wait until it’s all played out to know what’s happened. But, as a black man, I know when you’re racially abused and there was no time for Glen to think something up.
“His reaction said it all. So did the reaction of players around him. I know what was said, I know what happened. It’s time UEFA did something.”
Motherwell and Dundee United opted out of this season’s pre-match custom of taking the knee.
The Fir Park club explained the stance was taken because they want action and not “empty gestures” against racism. Bartley has no issue with players adopting a different approach to highlight the issue.
What he wants more than anything is serious sanctions taken by authorities to root out the poison.
He said: “For me, I will always take the knee as long as I’m allowed to do it but the fact we’re still doing it shows we have a huge, huge problem.
“Taking the knee was always a first step in trying to eradicate and minimise racism, but it seems to be getting worse.
“No longer will I advocate to other players and tell them they should be taking the knee. Because nothing is changing.
“If they have a better way of doing something that will make a difference then, great. What we can’t do is just go on as normal. We’ve had enough. I’ve spoken to a lot of players over the last 24 hours.
“From the Premier League to Scotland. Black or white, we’ve all had enough. Something needs to change.”
It’s getting more heartbreaking every time something like this happens
MARVIN BARTLEY