Time To Show Respect On And Off The Football Field
The notion that sport should be for everyone is a point most would hope nobody has an issue with, but the reality is that discrimination remains rife in this area of life, as in many others.
English cricket has been grappling with the reality of this following the publication of a damning report commissioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board, which has found widespread instances of racism, sexism and elitism in the sport. Much of it comes as no surprise in the wake of racism revelations by former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafique.
Football may think that it does better. Indeed, while the lack of involvement by black people in cricket was a key finding of its report, that is not the case in football, with many stars like Marcus Rashford and Bukaya Sako leading the way.
However, the fact is that there are still many people who are not committed to treating everyone equally, which is why getting respect barriers for football pitches ahead of the new season can send out a firm ‘zero tolerance’ message.
It should not be forgotten that there are still lots of racists out there, although the situation appears much worse in countries like Spain, where Real Madrid’s Brazilian star Vinicius Jr has been repeatedly subjected to racial abuse. The latest case led to Valencia facing a fine and partial stadium closure over taunts by some of their fans.
The incident also opened up a wider debate on racism in Spanish football, after the winger tweeted that: “La Liga belongs to the racists”.
Sexism is another area where progress has been made, not least after the England women’s team brought football home by winning the European Championships last summer.
With the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand set to kick off next month, there is another chance for them to taste glory, while reminding us that it really is a game for all where everyone should be respected.