Racism in sport

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stefanovic

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Tricky subject this with cricket now under scrutiny.
I've been listening to the enquiry today.

Going back in time Frank Worrell became the first black cricketer to captain the West Indies cricket team for an entire series, thus breaking the colour barriers then found in West Indian cricket.
He led the side on two particularly notable tours. The first was to Australia in 1960–61. Prior to that the captain had to be a white man.
There was also the South African test team consisting of whites only.
Then there was YCCC in the 1970's with unpleasant references to non white players.

Other sports include football, rugby and golf.
I've heard reports of non white applicants for golf membership turned away, with the suspicion it might have been something to do with race.
 

2blue

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Tricky subject this with cricket now under scrutiny.
I've been listening to the inquiry today.

Going back in time Frank Worrell became the first black cricketer to captain the West Indies cricket team for an entire series, thus breaking the colour barriers then found in West Indian cricket.
He led the side on two particularly notable tours. The first was to Australia in 1960–61. Prior to that the captain had to be a white man.
There was also the South African test team consisting of whites only.
Then there was YCCC in the 1970's with unpleasant references to non white players.

Other sports include football, rugby and golf.
I've heard reports of non white applicants for golf membership turned away, with the suspicion it might have been something to do with race.
No it's not!!...... or certainly shouldn't be.... listening today it couldn't be 'outed' in a more direct & powerful way..... can't wait to hear from our anti-woke warriors on here. :unsure::unsure:
 

stefanovic

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As a white male I kind of know how some affected feel on this because it can work both ways.
Having travelled 80 miles for an interview for which I had the perfect skills I found that the interviewer had made up his mind about me within a minute and I was shown to the door. Totally gutted.
This is one big problem. We seem to be conditioned this way, and forget we are all members of the same species.
 

Lord Tyrion

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No it's not!!...... or certainly shouldn't be.... listening today it couldn't be 'outed' in a more direct & powerful way.....
Agree with this. It might be an uncomfortable subject but it should not be tricky. Where it exists, call it out, expose it, stamp it out.

The language used within Yorkshire CCC that some players believed was acceptable is staggering. These players were/are younger than me so they can not play the card 'that it was okay back then' because it simply was not.
 

GB72

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It is there and it is, I suspect, in pretty much every sport from grass roots level up. Most of it will be thinly veiled as banter and part of the changing room atmosphere. Absolute rubbish. I am not proud of some of the things that I have seen and done playing rugby in the past but I can at least admit and appreciate how wrong it was. Sadly, many others do not want to see it or admit it. So, there is my admission, I have done and said things in the past that I am embarressed about and I unreservedly apologise for what I thought was normal and acceptable in 70s and 80s Britain.

Lets look at the highest level of rugby and the Execter Chiefs, stereotyped image on their branding, crowds wear native american headresses and chant the rediculous 'tomahawk chop'. The Native Ameican council have come out and said it is wrong and offensive but the club, and the fans, still argue that it is all harmless fun. They still do not realise that they are not the ones with the right to call it harmless or not.
 

pauljames87

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No it's not!!...... or certainly shouldn't be.... listening today it couldn't be 'outed' in a more direct & powerful way..... can't wait to hear from our anti-woke warriors on here. :unsure::unsure:

Well said. I find it personally disgusting in 2021 racism, sexism and homophobia are still a thing (to list just 3)

Fact we have no openly gay top level footballers when there will be a few just too scared to admit it. Disgusting they have to hide themselves
 

hairball_89

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It is there and it is, I suspect, in pretty much every sport from grass roots level up. Most of it will be thinly veiled as banter and part of the changing room atmosphere. Absolute rubbish. I am not proud of some of the things that I have seen and done playing rugby in the past but I can at least admit and appreciate how wrong it was. Sadly, many others do not want to see it or admit it. So, there is my admission, I have done and said things in the past that I am embarressed about and I unreservedly apologise for what I thought was normal and acceptable in 70s and 80s Britain.

Lets look at the highest level of rugby and the Execter Chiefs, stereotyped image on their branding, crowds wear native american headresses and chant the rediculous 'tomahawk chop'. The Native Ameican council have come out and said it is wrong and offensive but the club, and the fans, still argue that it is all harmless fun. They still do not realise that they are not the ones with the right to call it harmless or not.

Absolutely spot on. To add to your list:
  • my American Football team, the currently named Washington Football Team - formerly the Washington Redskins
  • Tottenham's Y*d Army
None of this is acceptable. Calling something "banter" is just a completely tiresome way of saying "I know this is offensive, but I don't care and am going to do it anyway". It saddens me greatly that things appear to be getting worse, not better.
 
D

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Racism exists in all walks of life so there will be no doubt that it’s happening within all sports

As with life the way to eradicate it is through education

But unfortunately whilst humans inhabit the earth then there will always be a racist or a bigot who see themselves as superiors based on their skin colour , their religion , their social standing etc etc
 

GB72

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Racism exists in all walks of life so there will be no doubt that it’s happening within all sports

As with life the way to eradicate it is through education

But unfortunately whilst humans inhabit the earth then there will always be a racist or a bigot who see themselves as superiors based on their skin colour , their religion , their social standing etc etc

I think that it is time to be harder than simply education at a grass roots level. With few people to explain the wrongs at sports clubs, a culture that is too ingrown at some levels and limited funds to send people on courses etc, how do you ensure education and change. Sadly I am at a stage where reports of racism at a sporting club should result in suspension then a ban and a report to the sport governing body. Sadly a number at my old golf club would probably last less than a month before they were out on their ear. Club committees should be obligated to produce an annual report on the instances of reported racism at the club each year with detials of the actions taken.
 

2blue

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I think that it is time to be harder than simply education at a grass roots level. With few people to explain the wrongs at sports clubs, a culture that is too ingrown at some levels and limited funds to send people on courses etc, how do you ensure education and change. Sadly I am at a stage where reports of racism at a sporting club should result in suspension then a ban and a report to the sport governing body. Sadly a number at my old golf club would probably last less than a month before they were out on their ear. Club committees should be obligated to produce an annual report on the instances of reported racism at the club each year with detials of the actions taken.
^^^^ THIS...... as 'education', on its own, is not enough..... naive to think so.
 

GB72

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Out of interest, and bearing in mind htat I retired from playing rugby over a decade ago, do governing bodies or, in the case of football, groups like Kick it Out, actually do anything practical with clubs at a grass roots level. Do they come round and talk to players and committees and offer any form of education.

There is much talk of moving forward through education but I am not sure where that education comes from and who it goes to. Never seen an anti racism poster in a golf club or any encouragement to report issues or, in fact, any training or information or 'education' available. Really cannot see the average Saturday morning 4 ball turning up for a 2 how lecture and case study on casual racism on a Wednesday night because one of them made a racist comment that they all thought was funny and harmless banter anyway. In my mind, and I may be wrong, the idea of 'dealing with it through education' is a cop out as the education and the follow up on any such education is simply not there at an amateur level and so to suggest dealing with racism in such a way is just another way of kicking the problem down the road.
 
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I think that it is time to be harder than simply education at a grass roots level. With few people to explain the wrongs at sports clubs, a culture that is too ingrown at some levels and limited funds to send people on courses etc, how do you ensure education and change. Sadly I am at a stage where reports of racism at a sporting club should result in suspension then a ban and a report to the sport governing body. Sadly a number at my old golf club would probably last less than a month before they were out on their ear. Club committees should be obligated to produce an annual report on the instances of reported racism at the club each year with detials of the actions taken.

Yep sanctions should be in place and certainly something a lot stronger than what we see UEFA dish out
 

Banchory Buddha

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As a white male I kind of know how some affected feel on this because it can work both ways.
Having travelled 80 miles for an interview for which I had the perfect skills I found that the interviewer had made up his mind about me within a minute and I was shown to the door. Totally gutted.
This is one big problem. We seem to be conditioned this way, and forget we are all members of the same species.
Really? I can see why you thought it might be "tricky"?
 

harpo_72

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Those who practice racism usually have never been singled out for a difference or are on the receiving end of it and use it as a coping mechanism or equalisation.
Having been on the end of it as a child and as an adult, I can only say it’s with us to stay, no amount of education will get rid of it. It is human nature to identify differences and then be unpleasant. Whilst we still have borders/politics/religion we will still abuse each other … face it we are an unpleasant bunch and none of us are clear of it, not even myself.
My parents were not happy I worked for a Japanese company, the Japanese did not consider me to be their equal. I was told off for partying with Japanese girls and they were lovely ?. But the day to day stuff of having to work harder to be accepted and have your work credited was tiresome. When they started to play up we used to whistle “Colonel Bogey” and get on with it … pretty sure all the English guys around us were laughing at it all.

I will try and frankly I don’t wish to upset anyone but somewhere down the line it will happen and it may be deemed acceptable now but in years to come it might not.
 

Lord Tyrion

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Out of interest, and bearing in mind htat I retired from playing rugby over a decade ago, do governing bodies or, in the case of football, groups like Kick it Out, actually do anything practical with clubs at a grass roots level. Do they come round and talk to players and committees and offer any form of education.

There is much talk of moving forward through education but I am not sure where that education comes from and who it goes to. Never seen an anti racism poster in a golf club or any encouragement to report issues or, in fact, any training or information or 'education' available. Really cannot see the average Saturday morning 4 ball turning up for a 2 how lecture and case study on casual racism on a Wednesday night because one of them made a racist comment that they all thought was funny and harmless banter anyway. In my mind, and I may be wrong, the idea of 'dealing with it through education' is a cop out as the education and the follow up on any such education is simply not there at an amateur level and so to suggest dealing with racism in such a way is just another way of kicking the problem down the road.
My son is 21 now but he played club rugby, football, cricket, basketball and golf as a junior. I was with him for most games, training sessions etc. There was no formal meeting, education etc on the matter of racism but equally there was none on sexism, homophobia or other issues. It was left to coaches to deal with any unacceptable comment or behaviour. There were general behavioural standards, Respect programmes etc. but no specific sit down talks

Whilst players sometimes made daft or unpleasant comments about opposition players I never heard any that could come into the categories above and those comments were always picked up on quickly and squashed. Had a racist comment been made I have no doubt that the coaches would have descended on the individual very quickly and heavily. In answer to your question though, no, governing bodies do not go into grass roots clubs and talk about these subjects as a matter of course. That is not to say that is does not happen in some areas or clubs but my own experience suggests it is not standard practice.
 
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As a white male I kind of know how some affected feel on this because it can work both ways.
Having travelled 80 miles for an interview for which I had the perfect skills I found that the interviewer had made up his mind about me within a minute and I was shown to the door. Totally gutted.
This is one big problem. We seem to be conditioned this way, and forget we are all members of the same species.
Was the interviewer non-white and was it for a position in Sport you thought you had the perfect skills for as I don’t see were you can claim as a white male it works both ways in the instance you’ve mentioned in relation to the thread.
 

BiMGuy

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As a white male I kind of know how some affected feel on this because it can work both ways.
Having travelled 80 miles for an interview for which I had the perfect skills I found that the interviewer had made up his mind about me within a minute and I was shown to the door. Totally gutted.
This is one big problem. We seem to be conditioned this way, and forget we are all members of the same species.

You didn’t get the job because you were a white male? Did it cross your mind the interviewer jut might not have liked you?
 
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