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







hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
62,758
Chandlers Ford
The players may be able to put this behind them but for the fans its a different thing. There were definite boos at SP on Saturday when Bong had the ball in the first half and I cant remember any other history he has with them and he was the only one of our players singled out at the time.

That's standard. He gets it from some of our bellends at home games too...
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,249
Back in Sussex
The players may be able to put this behind them but for the fans its a different thing. There were definite boos at SP on Saturday when Bong had the ball in the first half and I cant remember any other history he has with them and he was the only one of our players singled out at the time.

I meant to ask about that, but I'd forgotten. I didn't go to to the game in the end and watched in the pub, but I thought it certainly sounded like he was being booed when he had the ball in early passages of play.
 


Gazwag

5 millionth post poster
Mar 4, 2004
30,717
Bexhill-on-Sea
I meant to ask about that, but I'd forgotten. I didn't go to to the game in the end and watched in the pub, but I thought it certainly sounded like he was being booed when he had the ball in early passages of play.

It seemed to only be in the early part of the game but I guess the two early goals changed the atmosphere somewhat.
 


Hungry Joe

SINNEN
Oct 22, 2004
7,636
Heading for shore
Two ways out of it could be:
1. Every player to be miked up during a match so that everything they say is recorded and could be played back in evidence.....
or:
2. The FA begins to work on the basis that "hand covering mouth" leads to a presumption of guilt, all other things being equal, as the perpetrator is obviously trying to avoid what he says being interpreted.

Can't imagine either happening, though.

Option 1 - can you imagine? haha, it'd be XXX rated!
Option 2 - I actually think that's not a bad idea, but I think you're right, the authorities would never go for it and it would probably end up in legal challenge mayhem.
 






Gritt23

New member
Jul 7, 2003
14,902
Meopham, Kent.
Does anyone know what JR was claiming he was saying behind his hand? And why his version of general platitudes and good will to all men, had to be delivered from behind his hand? I suppose he had a nasty cold and was doing that out of courtesy to everyone, he'd been doing it all week, the decent chap. The holding the nose and wafting his hand in front of his nose somehow didn't back up Bong's version of events at all.

All seems as implausible as John Terry's version of events after clearly, sorry, I mean, ALLEDGEDLY abusing Anton Ferdinand.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,379
Location Location
Does anyone know what JR was claiming he was saying behind his hand? And why his version of general platitudes and good will to all men, had to be delivered from behind his hand? I suppose he had a nasty cold and was doing that out of courtesy to everyone, he'd been doing it all week, the decent chap. The holding the nose and wafting his hand in front of his nose somehow didn't back up Bong's version of events at all.

All seems as implausible as John Terry's version of events after clearly, sorry, I mean, ALLEDGEDLY abusing Anton Ferdinand.

He claims that all he said was that Bongs breath stinks (hence the holding of nose and waving of hand gesture). Very adult of him.
 






Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
This was always going to be the outcome. We'll never know of course. I don't really feel duty-bound to blindly accept Bong's version - he could so easily have misheard. I find it unlikely that a premier league player would say something like the alleged, when there are so many non-racist insults available :)

I would still like to know how 'your f..... breath stinks' could possibly be mistaken for 'you're black and you stink.'

The first and last words are the same, but the middle is nothing like it.

I don't think Bong misheard, but we'll never know.
 










Gritt23

New member
Jul 7, 2003
14,902
Meopham, Kent.
He claims that all he said was that Bongs breath stinks (hence the holding of nose and waving of hand gesture). Very adult of him.

This is what gets me about football fans and their blinkered views of their own players. Basically, even if you believe him, what a disgraceful way to behave. He's a grown man, acting like he's 7 years old (and btw, my kids would have been in trouble if they'd acted like that even aged 7). I remember all the "fans" defending Chad Evans, when even if you believed his version of the evening, it was a very sorry, embarrassing and shameful tale.

What standards do we set for our players exactly, when that is acceptable, and it's Bong who gets the abuse?
 




Hungry Joe

SINNEN
Oct 22, 2004
7,636
Heading for shore
I would still like to know how 'your f..... breath stinks' could possibly be mistaken for 'you're black and you stink.'

The first and last words are the same, but the middle is nothing like it.

I don't think Bong misheard, but we'll never know.

IF Bong didn't mishear, as was mentioned in the report - it is a very odd sentence structure for an English-speaker to say though. It's that factor, and Rodriguez's absolute insistence that he didn't use those words (and yes, he may well be a bit of a tool, but that doesn't make him a liar), that have me leaning towards the mishear theory. Remember also that Bong's first language is not English, throw in a Burnley accent, there are plenty of variables that stack up in Rodriguez's favour. I think it very much comes down to who people want to believe. Brighton supporters will naturally want to believe their player wasn't mistaken and Burnley supporters the opposite. It would be exactly the same were the roles reversed. It's just all very unfortunate but I honestly don't believe it sets any kind of dangerous or discouraging precedent regarding reporting alleged abuse as some are claiming. And I don't think there's any kind of middle-aged white man conspiracy going on here either. I think the panel reached the only reasonable verdict they could in the circumstances. Just imagine if the roles were reversed and a Brighton player was found guilty of racially abusing an opponent without evidential proof just to make a wider political point about racism, there would be absolute meltdown on here and rightly so, let alone the damage done to the players reputation and prospects. I really do feel for Bong as he has clearly come out of this somewhat tainted in some people's eyes, but I also feel for Rodriguez (even though he could have avoided all this by not being a tit in the first place) if indeed he is telling the truth. No one wins, and those on both sides still fuelling the hate aren't helping one bit. Right, that's my last word on this.
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Does anyone know what JR was claiming he was saying behind his hand? And why his version of general platitudes and good will to all men, had to be delivered from behind his hand? I suppose he had a nasty cold and was doing that out of courtesy to everyone, he'd been doing it all week, the decent chap. The holding the nose and wafting his hand in front of his nose somehow didn't back up Bong's version of events at all.

All seems as implausible as John Terry's version of events after clearly, sorry, I mean, ALLEDGEDLY abusing Anton Ferdinand.

One of the lip readers saw the word garlic spoken by Rodriguez.
 




Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
A final statement from Gaetan and the club.

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2018/april/statement-on-behalf-of-gaetan-bong/

Brighton & Hove Albion have issued the following statement on behalf of Gaetan Bong.

"Mr Rodriguez’s actions during our game against West Bromwich Albion, followed by statements issued by him and on his behalf by his various PR and legal advisors, have resulted in my character being questioned and subsequently for a number of accusations to be directed at me.

"Please let me be clear: I know what I heard and I did not mishear. My conscience in raising the complaint is therefore entirely clear.

"This was my first such experience in more than three years in this country and I would never seek to bring a false charge against a fellow professional.

"Those who have accused me of doing that do not know me. Equally those who have expressed an opinion were not there on the pitch at the time and only Mr Rodriguez and I know exactly what was said and I stand by my original complaint.

"I now wish to continue with my career, and won't be commenting further on this matter even if Mr Rodriguez chooses to issue any further statements."

Brighton & Hove Albion fully support Gaetan in the issuing of this statement. The club will not be making any further comment on this matter.
 




BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
A final statement from Gaetan and the club.

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2018/april/statement-on-behalf-of-gaetan-bong/

Brighton & Hove Albion have issued the following statement on behalf of Gaetan Bong.

"Mr Rodriguez’s actions during our game against West Bromwich Albion, followed by statements issued by him and on his behalf by his various PR and legal advisors, have resulted in my character being questioned and subsequently for a number of accusations to be directed at me.

"Please let me be clear: I know what I heard and I did not mishear. My conscience in raising the complaint is therefore entirely clear.

"This was my first such experience in more than three years in this country and I would never seek to bring a false charge against a fellow professional.

"Those who have accused me of doing that do not know me. Equally those who have expressed an opinion were not there on the pitch at the time and only Mr Rodriguez and I know exactly what was said and I stand by my original complaint.

"I now wish to continue with my career, and won't be commenting further on this matter even if Mr Rodriguez chooses to issue any further statements."

Brighton & Hove Albion fully support Gaetan in the issuing of this statement. The club will not be making any further comment on this matter.

Read into that how you like. I know my opinion and possibly the same as many.
 




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