[Albion] "You're black and you stink" Rodriquez comment to Bong? - FA say not proven

[seagulls4ever]

If I walked up to Bong in the street and made a racist comment he would have every right to report me to the police.

So, as the FA have charged Rodriguez with an alleged racist comment, and to do that you would assume that they have evidence passed by their lawyers, why has this matter not been passed to the police to investigate?

The evidence the criminal justice system would require (beyond reasonable doubt) and the evidence the FA would require (on the balance of probabilities) are different. Recall the John Terry case.

 

[Triggaaar]

I have seen plenty on my own Twitter timeline and on the message board I moderate on that think Bong misheard.

http://www.wbaunofficial.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=2

Wbaunofficial

So on a WBA message board, WBA fans think Bong misheard

 

[clippedgull]

The evidence the criminal justice system would require (beyond reasonable doubt) and the evidence the FA would require (on the balance of probabilities) are different. Recall the John Terry case.

I'm not suggesting that there is enough evidence to convict him in a criminal court (obviously, we don't know at this stage what 'evidence' the FA have. But they assume they have enough evidence to at least charge him at this stage, would that not be enough for the police to at least investigate? I'm not saying that it would ever get to criminal court, but an alleged crime has been committed according to the FA.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Jay Holz‏
[MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1
Follow Follow [MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1

Replying to @SFR_Sport @MailOnline and 8 others

I think Bong is reacting to a common racially aggravated insult that is common in France as it literally means what he's saying it means there and is intended racist but in UK it is not with the same intention and is literal. Cultural misunderstanding I think it seems

Anyone agree with this possibility?

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

So on a WBA message board, WBA fans think Bong misheard

So Bong in addition to Rodriguez's insults is deaf. Lovely. #Cyrille

 

[Richbaggie]

What would be your reaction if one of your players was accused without any clear evidence? Would you automatically assume he was guilty?

 

[seagulls4ever]

Jay Holz‏
[MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1
Follow Follow [MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1

Replying to @SFR_Sport @MailOnline and 8 others

I think Bong is reacting to a common racially aggravated insult that is common in France as it literally means what he's saying it means there and is intended racist but in UK it is not with the same intention and is literal. Cultural misunderstanding I think it seems

Anyone agree with this possibility?

I don't understand.

 

[Bozza]

I don't understand.

I'm assuming the suggestion is that, in France, either:

i) a pinched nose and a waft of the hand is considered to be a racist insult, but in the UK it's not.

or

ii) telling someone they smell is considered racist in France but in the UK it's not.

 

[Albion my Albion]

I don't understand.

I don't understand either. I was throwing it out there to see if it could be explained and made any sense.

 

[spence]

So on a WBA message board, WBA fans think Bong misheard

This forum certainly attracts them

 

[spence]

Jay Holz‏
[MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1
Follow Follow [MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1

Replying to @SFR_Sport @MailOnline and 8 others

I think Bong is reacting to a common racially aggravated insult that is common in France as it literally means what he's saying it means there and is intended racist but in UK it is not with the same intention and is literal. Cultural misunderstanding I think it seems

Anyone agree with this possibility?

Just drivel from a West Brom fan.

Bong clearly mentions "reference to skin colour" No cultural difference here at all.

 

[Albion my Albion]

I'm assuming the suggestion is that, in France, either:

i) a pinched nose and a waft of the hand is considered to be a racist insult, but in the UK it's not.

or

ii) telling someone they smell is considered racist in France but in the UK it's not.

So when telling someone in France that they don't smell pleasantly is always racist? What if you really like someone but they are smelling ripe you don't tell them?

 

[narly101]

https://twitter.com/wbaewan/status/961661257895030784

https://t.co/ZTvdA2BwK5

https://twitter.com/wbaewan/status/961661257895030784

Some particularly pleasant individuals out tonight

For those of you on twitter, you have the ability to report posts for offensiveness - it's anonymous and if enough people report the posts, then the account can be investigated. This WBAEWAN dude needs help.

 

[Bozza]

So when telling someone in France that they don't smell pleasantly is always racist? What if you really like someone but they are smelling ripe you don't tell them?

No idea. I'm making a guess and trying to interpret the tweet quoted.

 

[seagulls4ever]

I'm assuming the suggestion is that, in France, either:

i) a pinched nose and a waft of the hand is considered to be a racist insult, but in the UK it's not.

or

ii) telling someone they smell is considered racist in France but in the UK it's not.

I think if that were the case it would have been mentioned on SFR Sport where they go through what happened, including the gestures. And if that was the allegation, Rodriguez wouldn't have been charged. Further, on SFR, Bong says "after that, he said some words that I will not repeat on television because this is mean and unpronounceable. He said racist comments".

If that's the suggestion, it's a no from me.

 

[NooBHA]

Jay Holz‏
[MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1
Follow Follow [MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1

Replying to @SFR_Sport @MailOnline and 8 others

I think Bong is reacting to a common racially aggravated insult that is common in France as it literally means what he's saying it means there and is intended racist but in UK it is not with the same intention and is literal. Cultural misunderstanding I think it seems

Anyone agree with this possibility?

Have you considered the possibility that the actual words may have been a lot worse than what the media have been fed and that there would be no dispute of it being of a racist nature in any culture. No one knows the exact wording used except the people involved in getting to the bottom of it

None of us here know the exact wording but I guarantee that Gaetan Bong, everyone involved at Brighton know that any false accusations would be detrimental to improving issues concerning Racism.

They have chosen to pursue this and that is why I believe Gaetan Bong because he gains nothing. Only Society as a whole gains by him making a stand on this. And I for one support his stance.

 

[lawros left foot]

Jay Holz‏
[MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1
Follow Follow [MENTION=13051]jay[/MENTION]Holz1

Replying to @SFR_Sport @MailOnline and 8 others

I think Bong is reacting to a common racially aggravated insult that is common in France as it literally means what he's saying it means there and is intended racist but in UK it is not with the same intention and is literal. Cultural misunderstanding I think it seems

Anyone agree with this possibility?

Would the FA have charged him if it was a French insult?

 

[Triggaaar]

If it was a Brighton player in these circumstances, would you automatically call him out as guilty?

No I wouldn't, but I wouldn't automatically claim his innocence either.

What would be your reaction if one of your players was accused without any clear evidence? Would you automatically assume he was guilty?

Er, I've already answered that, the first time you asked.

I'm not suggesting for a second you jump to the conclusion he's guilty.

If our player was accused, I'd think a bit about the history of our player, a bit about the history of the player making the accusation, and I'd look at the evidence available so far. In this case, if I was a WBA fan, I'd simply hope that Bong misheard Jay.

There are 3 possible truths:
1) Bong misheard
2) Bong is lying
3) Jay did say it

You've come to the conclusion that only number 1 and 2 are possible, which is just silly.
I think a well educated neutral would say that number 2 is the least likely truth.

 

[Triggaaar]

I'm assuming the suggestion is that, in France, either:

i) a pinched nose and a waft of the hand is considered to be a racist insult, but in the UK it's not.

or

ii) telling someone they smell is considered racist in France but in the UK it's not.

But neither of those things is what Bong has accused him of, he's been accused (as I realise you know) of saying 'you're black and you stink'. For the tweet to suggest it's a cultural difference would mean that Bong hasn't misheard, but that the comment isn't racist in the UK (which of course it would be) because it's a literal comment. Bong is black. I can say that without being racist. I can also say that someone smells, which may or may not be true, and that wouldn't be an offence. But with context and said together, it's clearly racist.

The only question is whether or not he said it, and whether it can be proven sufficiently.

 

[seagulls4ever]

But neither of those things is what Bong has accused him of, he's been accused (as I realise you know) of saying 'you're black and you stink'. For the tweet to suggest it's a cultural difference would mean that Bong hasn't misheard, but that the comment isn't racist in the UK (which of course it would be) because it's a literal comment. Bong is black. I can say that without being racist. I can also say that someone smells, which may or may not be true, and that wouldn't be an offence. But with context and said together, it's clearly racist.

The only question is whether or not he said it, and whether it can be proven sufficiently.

I thought that could not possibly be the suggestion from tweet as it's absolutely LUDICROUS to suggest "you're black and you stick" is interpreted differently in France and the UK due to cultural differences. Whatever way you look at it, it's racist.