Bernardo’s tweet needs FA punishment ...but racism issue bigger than a cartoon
THIS weekend, Trevor Sinclair retweeted a message from someone with the Twitter name @komatsola, who wanted to have his say on the Bernardo Silva situation.
He suggested those criticising Bernardo and calling for punishment were, “cynical people who have a warped view of life and can’t understand how two people can love each other so much, they don’t see colour”.
The tweet started by suggesting the “media” is “trying to destroy a true brotherly relationship”.
No, it is not. And no-one can fail to recognise the degree of affection between Bernardo and Benjamin Mendy. That Mendy has sent a testimony to his great friend to the Football Association is perfectly understandable.
That Bernardo has, apparently, apologised for his tweet – the cartoon one that the world must have now seen – in a letter to the FA and expressed his regret for any offence it might have caused, is right and proper. But under the FA’s guidelines on social media use, it is offended many. And that is why hard to see how he can escape Bernardo has to face an FA sanction. punishment. Simple as that.
Not a censure. Punishment. But if the chap retweeted by I remember back in 2015 when Sinclair wanted an ally, he would find Robert Huth was banned for two one in John Barnes, who has brushed games after playing a gender guessing the tweet aside as an insignificance. game – a crude one, it has to be said It is not. But if Barnes’s implication – on Twitter. is that there is a far deeper problem
Bernardo posted a photo of a to tackle, he would be right. young Mendy alongside a black So maybe the Bernardo controversy cartoon character with big red lips will have some positive repercussions. which is used to promote a brand of Maybe it will focus minds on the chocolate bar in Spain and asked the wider issues. question, “Guess who?” On the chronic lack of diversity in
Bernardo does see colour. In a the upper echelons of power at clubs. video that emerged a couple of days On the under-representation of ago, but dating back a year or so, the black and minority ethic (BAME) Bernardo asks Mendy – dressed all community in administrative bodies. in black – why he is naked. On how few BAME fans feel like
Mendy laughs but when the tweet they want to follow the England and the video are posted to an online team on the road. audience, there is little laughter. On the continuing, startling,
Never mind the pair are friends, dearth of BAME managers in the top never mind that Guardiola reckons four English leagues.
Bernardo is the nicest man in Bernardo has to be punished. But football and tells us the Portuguese when it comes to racism in football, speaks several languages. offensive tweets and social media
The tweet, with its racial clips are among the least of the stereotype connotations, will have e games game’s worries.
m @Calteck10 “What a game!!! Happy to get a goal on my return with a great team performance #COYB”