ANTI-RACISM DAILY

May 23, 2024

Address racial abuse in soccer.

TAKE ACTION

• Support organizations like Switch the Pitch or your local Anti-Racist Soccer Club coalition addressing racism in soccer in the U.S.

• Consider: How have you learned about social justice issues through sports? What other examples of solidarity cna you find from other professional sports leagues?

GET EDUCATED

Last week, FIFA – the International Federation of Association Football – encouraged its community to adopt new policies to address racism in the industry. The highlight was a gesture that players can use to acknowledge racism on the field by raising their hands and crossing their wrists in an X – making moments of discrimination from other players immediately evident and visible to referees, coaches, and the audience. Other measures in the five-pillar plan include asking all member associations to make racist abuse a specific offense in their rulebooks, asking every government to make racism a criminal offense, and setting up a new Players’ Anti-Racism Panel to monitor and advise on the plan’s implementation (AP News).

This initiative is the latest effort FIFA has implemented to address the rampant racism in soccer, an issue that gained more attention after the 2022 World Cup. In December 2022, players Kylian Mbappé, Kingsley Coman, Randal Kolo Muani, and Aurélien Tchouameni were racially abused after their team lost the FIFA World Cup final (BBC). Between two major competitions in 2021 and 2022, more than half of participating players received some form of online abuse – 38% of which was categorized as racist (FIFA). A 2022 study found that 55% of players involved in both the Euro 2020 and AFCON finals were subject to racist abuse, with Black players who missed penalties in a finals match between England and Italy subjected to the most.

It didn’t help that Qatar, the host country of the 2022 World Cup, was criticized for its abuse and exploitation of migrant workers and discrimination against women and LGBT people (HRW) More about this in the recommended reading.

Unsurprisingly, racism affects how well players will play. A study of English players compared their performance playing in empty stadiums during the start of the pandemic with playing in full crowds. Only one group of players performed better in empty stands. “We find that players from Africa, who are most commonly targeted by racial harassment, experience a significant improvement in performance when supporters are no longer at the stadium,” the authors wrote (NYTimes).

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

But more broadly, what we tolerate on the field reflects what we tolerate in society. Soccer's influence around the world should not be overlooked; FIFA claimed that around 1.5 billion people watched the 2022 World Cup final live on television (Sports Illustrated). A study in 2014 found that 40% of people 16 years of age or older in major cities around the world consider themselves interested or very interested in following football, more so than any other sport (Nielsen).

Leagues across the globe have taken the lead in addressing this. In 2014, Brazilian authorities initiated an anti-racism campaign using the hashtag #SayNoToRacism (Pew Research). Last year, the Brazil men’s national team wore all-black and took a knee in a statement of solidarity for anti-racism (CNN). In 2021, the Premier League launched its "No Room For Racism" Action Plan, which aims to create more opportunities for minority ethnic groups in football and to eradicate racial prejudice. The Premier League also features the "No Room For Racism" branding in its matches.

And FIFA themselves have prioritized addressing it, too. In 2019, FIFA gave referees the power to end a game in a forfeit, handing the win to the visitors’ side, if there is persistent racism in the stands (GOOD). FIFA has a campaign that carries its "no discrimination" message to audiences at its events and tournaments. For example, the message appeared on LED boards during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. FIFA also has a Social Media Protection Service to protect players, teams, officials, and fans from online hate.

But individuals and institutions committed to dismantling racism in the space don’t believe FIFA’s efforts are enough. Some underscore how the three-step rule for dismissal has failed to protect players in the past (you can read more about this practice here). Many also believe that athletes should have the power to remove themselves from play when harm happens (Black Enterprise).

Sports have always been the spotlight for social justice issues, and soccer is no different. It’s encouraging to see strong stances against racism by teams and the league. As fans, we can also continue to encourage our favorite teams, stadiums, and fellow fans to participate in the sport with dignity and respect.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• FIFA has introduced a new five-pillar plan to combat racism, which includes a unique hand gesture for players to signal racial abuse during matches, making it more visible to referees, coaches, and audiences.

• Racism in soccer not only affects player performance but also reflects societal tolerance of discrimination. It emphasizes FIFA's role in using its global influence to promote anti-racism.

• While FIFA has implemented several measures, including the power for referees to end games due to racist abuse, there is criticism regarding the effectiveness of these efforts and calls for greater empowerment of athletes.

LEARN MORE

• What the World Cup shows us about racism. Andscape >

• Understanding Racism in European Football Culture FIFPro >

• This World Cup should be remembered for its racism. But Qatar is not the victim. The Guardian >