Racism reared its ugly head
An exhaustive and extraordinary 115 page dossier compiled by the FA’s independent commission investigating the Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez flashpoint details the racial abuse the Uruguayan striker heaped on the Man Utd defender back in October. The excerpts make for ugly reading. One wonders what possessed Suarez who spent years in Ajax and as part of Los Charruas where he experienced playing alongside black players to react in this reprehensible manner.
Liverpool will be well advised not to challenge the commission’s findings which is by all accounts watertight. Suarez has been banned for eight matches and fined £40,000. As fans we should not tolerate any form of racism or discrimination. In Suarez’s case he tries to mitigate the situation by framing the use of the word “negro” in some sort of cultural context to make it acceptable but it is very clear by repeating the word so many times and drawing attention to the colour of Evra’s skin that he was being deliberate in its use to inflict pain.
Just yesterday, Krys Barch, a Florida Panthers defenseman was ejected from an NHL game after for allegedly using a racial slur against PK Subban, a black Canadian player for the Montreal Canadiens. The NHL is investigating the issue.