[Football] Forfeiting games or walking off when “fans” are racist

[aolstudios]

The fact is that the UK is miles ahead of large parts of Europe on this stuff. I just don't think most countries see it as seriously as we do here. Just like we didn't here 30 years ago. If you'd have talked about abandoning a football match here for someone throwing a banana on the pitch in the 70's, people would have thought you were mad. I'm sure the authorities probably made the right noises here in those days, but weren't really that bothered about sorting it out.

Give it another 20 years and the rest of Europe will catch up.

Wish I shared your optimism.
As a youngster I used to think people & societies naturally evolved to be better. They don't, they go up & down & every victory has to be won again & again. Sadly

 

[portlock seagull]

Needs to be tackled in partnership with governments, as a wider issue in society, rather than only existing within the football bubble.

It goes hand in hand, for sure. Football is smaller and easier to tackle though. Remember, this is OUR government you’re asking to fix something! But probably more can be done in our game mind. Though walking off, forfeiting games etc because one knobhead can’t keep their ignorance to themself isn’t the way to go as I’ve expressed IMO. I’d stop attending games, the cost and risk a pattern emerges is too great and we’d never be compensated would we? (Costs me hundreds per game to attend, as it will many others). All down the pan because some prick from a mill town pipes up? Why would you want to risk that all the time? Attending is hard enough without this jeopardy added to the equation.

 

[Commander]

Disagree, but it will be interesting to watch. Worked with a Hungarian recently who left to come here while we were still in the EU because he could see how it was going and has no intention of returning all the time Orban is in charge (or similar).

One person is a massively small sample for sure but that's why I said 'interesting'. Hungarian liberals won't go back while he's in charge yet they'd be needed to affect the change. It feels chicken and egg.

Having spent time in 2022 in Bosnia and Croatia, they're not even over the war yet. Drove through one town in Bosnia with graffiti glorifying Slobodan Milosevic everywhere along with the Russian 'Z' symbol.

And the graffiti and the support for people like Orban will come from many Ultra groups over there. If anything football is more extreme rather than less.

Regarding the OP though, I thoroughly agree. It's horses for courses over here. You're correct we're miles ahead and therefore we really just need to be singling out, nicking and banning the one or two idiots ruining it for everyone else.

I’m confused, which part do you disagree with? Seems like you are agreeing.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Get a few tickets in the oppositions team end and unleash the racist chants

It's a dumb idea, should be a straight banning order for life if found guilty.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Don’t know enough about Italian football, let them sort things out themselves. We shouldn’t get involved, same as foreign policy!

Agree re: Shef Wed fan, as clear as daylight. Must be very very easy to have apprehended and dealt with yesterday never mind retrospect with cameras

 

[Guinness Boy]

I’m confused, which part do you disagree with? Seems like you are agreeing.

I don’t think Europe will catch up. But I do hope it does.

 

[abc]

On a positive note, the subject of this thread shows how far, thankfully, we have come in football and society. Memories of the NF handing out leaflets at the north stand turnstiles whilst standing next to the OB, chants of ‘there ain’t no black in the union jack’, monkey chants etc. Not sure if the occurrences themselves are more abhorrent than the fact that it was simply ‘normal’ then, but thank god we are now debating how we deal with one or two racist fans rather than a whole stand.
But we will not be where we should be until all racism is something of the past. Therefore,IMHO, if 30 000 need to suffer a cancelled game to achieve this then so be it.