Racism is not a competition

I want to express my protest for the racist taunts and also for the so partial and unjust treatment that is being held by British mass media of what happened last Wednesday in Madrid. Those incidents are despicable from any point of view, it must ashame to any human being even with a narrow mind. As a Spaniard, I want to apologise English players and supporters for this shameful Spanish animals in the Bernabeu stadium. In Spain it is unsual and I cannot remember that it has ever happened in an event with as much diffusion. However I do remember numerous incidents of that kind in England, not only against sportsmen of black race but lately against Turkish sportsmen and supporters. Racism is not only in sports and it is not only in Spain. England cannot be sure to be 100% free of racism, like no other country is. It also seems to me despicable and a sign of xenophobia on the part of the English public opinion that they blame all the Spanish supporters and country of being racist. Perhaps it all began with this stupid old coach, but I am reading so many lies and stupid stuff on English media that I am amazing.
1 ---- "England lost a football match last night but Spain shamefully lost something more important -- Spain lost their right to be considered a civilised football nation," the Daily Telegraph said.
Spain has not lost as a nation with those incidents, that quickly have been condemnated by all the authorities and the public opinion here. The expression "lost" seems to want to make of this controversy of racism a competition. Somebody has said that to discredit the candidacy of the Olympic Games of Madrid 2012 as opposed to the one of London.
2 ---- "Sanctions should include stopping all Spanish participation in European football until Spain comes up with an action plan," Piara Power, director of "Let's Kick Racism out of Football", told Reuters.
A plan of action to eradicate racism in Spain is necessary just as it is in England and all Europe. Mainly in the countries that count on political parties of racists patterns with parliamentary representation. (Spain, luckily, does not have any party of this type, what does happen in many countries of western Europe.) It amazes me to hear that there have to stop the participation of Spain in Europe when these incidents have taken place in a friendly match in which the British press has attracted all the racists from Madrid to the stadium.
3 ---- "The Spanish national side has no black players but Brazilians Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos at Real Madrid, as well as Ronaldinho of Barcelona, encounter few problems in La Liga", wrote reporter Mark Meadows for MSN.
The Spanish team has had players of black race and they never had racism problems that are known. Donato, Vicente Engonga or Catanha have been the most recent ones. In Spanish Liga most of the teams have several players of black race, many of them foreigners and some Spaniards. They could have had some problems with racist people, but as important as the problems that players bear for being from Madrid, Catalonia or Galicia when they play with their rival teams. In fact, English press at the moment has not been much interested in knowing if racism exists in everyday life. For them, the aim is selling newspapers and destroying the prestige of Spain.
In conclusion, racism is not a competition nor a game but that is a problem of all, Spanish, English and foreigners, and I do not believe that England, as a country, can give lessons about morality to other countries. Please, stop making a sensationalist use of a so serious problem as racism, it seems that instead of fighting against racism you are attracting the racists and the fascist groups to fill the football stadiums. Let FIFA investigate the incidents, and not tabloids.

 

I understood the phrase, even if my English is not perfect.
Well, the hooligans still exist in England and they came to Madrid. They are not a phenomenon from the 70´s - 80´s only. Did you see how they were trying to push people to enter the stadium last Wednesday and police had to stop them? They are still dangerous and British Police still need to take care of what they do when they go out. But hopefully they are not England themselves, as the fascists and racists are not Spain. So, Spain can be a civilized nation even with some incivilized people, as England can be. I am Spanish and Black, and I feel insulted by both Spanish racist supporters and English people who can´t distinguish a football match from reality.

 

Are you defending hooligans? Do I have to defend Spanish Police? No, I won't. I wasn't there, I only watched a few images on Spanish TV. I am against violence, against racism and against xenophobia. Stop talking as if the Spaniards were the only violent and racist people in the world. I like English football and people. Don´t talk as it was a war between two nations, it´s a problem of we all. Otherwise, everybody will loose.

 

"18.11.2004 - 00:20

Sixteen injured persons after a fight between 'hooligans' and 'ultras'

A total of sixteen aficionados resulted injuried after the fight between "hooligans", the british radical supporters, and the "ultras" of Real Madrid, before the friendly match that was played today in Santiago Bernabéu stadium by national teams of Spain and England. The Police stated to Efe Agence that the violent fight happened outside the stadium and resulted with 16 injured persons."

http://www.marca.es/edicion/noticia/0,2458,561935,00.html

 

Here is what your tabloids don´t tell you English boys:

"The protagonists deny to feel racism in Spanish soccer
Madrid, 19 nov (EFE). -
The big majority of the players of black race who play in Spanish soccer have taken part in the controversy on racism started after the friendly match of Wednesday between Spain and England in the stadium Santiago Bernabéu and have denied to have felt specially despised by the color of their skin.

Soccer players like Ronaldo Luiz Nazario, Samuel Eto'o, Ricardo Oliveira, Felix Etienne or Edwing Congo, among others, have rejected a xenophobic discrimination in Spanish Liga.

The Brazilian forward of Real Madrid discarded that in Spanish soccer a special racism exists although recognized that there are places where this situation still exists. "I believe that in the 2004 to continue speaking of racism is something very ugly, but it still exists. People must think and see their attitudes. If we want a better world, in the small details is where it must change".

The player of Barcelona , Samuel Eto'o was clearer, although admitted that in a few occasions he has been insulted saying "black" to him; and that has heard sometimes guttural sounds imitating the monkeys, but he reduced importance to these questions. "The fact is that I am black, not white", he said, as well as he put as example that "in Africa when to one you also say white to someone it is possible to bother, because in the dark he is only white", it affirmed.

"I never have suffered racist behaviors from any audience. I have said that when I arrived to Spain it was very difficult to adapt and it was very complicated but always they have treated me greatly. At no moment I have suffered racist acts", indicated the midfield player of Levante Etienn, from the Ivory Coast.

On the other hand, Mario Regueiro, Medhi Nafti, Frank Bertín and Claude Gnapka, the four soccer players of color of the Racing of Santander declared not to have suffered from racism in Spain since they came to the soccer of this country.

"The truth is that in Spain never they have treated me badly, I have never felt a racist gesture by a part of the supporters; on the contrary, they want and they adore me much. I do not believe that attitudes like those ones that on Wednesday in the match of Spain were seen indicate that there is racism and less, in Spanish soccer", the Colombian of Levante Congo added to EFE.

The Brazilian attacker of Betis Ricardo Oliveira assured: in more than one year here "I have not had an experience like the one of Wednesday, never".

"I felt a little badly with what happened in the Bernabéu and it is not possible to admit that it happens that in a football ground. That is not good", said Mohamed Sissoko, player of Valencia. The international of Mali recognized that this problem is not particular of Spain and added: "everywhere there is racism, although it is not necessary to generalize, for they are only one small part of thoughtless people".

Politicians, leaders and technicians also have thought throughout the day on the controversy arisen from the friendly international match between the Spanish and English teams.
(...)"


Translation of:

http://www.efe.es/includesasp/noticias.asp?opcion=9&id=7293935