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de flh
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Dit is toch bizar??
Het werd tijd dat de supporters van Nederlandse clubs, die allemaal 'gekleurde'jongens in hun teams hebben spelen, hier een standpunt.. tegen in nemen.
Hoe kan een club als Feyenoord dít nou tollereren???
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/sports/soccer/russian-soccer-fans-marching-backward-to-intolerance.html?_r=0
A year in which racism and xenophobia have marred European soccer has brought another brazen act of intolerance. The largest fan club of Zenit St. Petersburg, the two-time defending Russian champion, has demanded that the team include no black or gay players.
he prominent group of Zenit supporters, known as Landscrona, posted a letter on its Web site on Monday, saying it wanted to preserve the traditional identity of the team by signing only homegrown players or those from Slavic nations like Ukraine and Belarus, from the Baltic nations or from Scandinavia. The club did not have a black player until late summer and has a history of prejudiced behavior by some of its fans.
Dark-skinned players are all but forced down Zenits throat now, which only brings out a negative reaction, the fan group said, adding that gay players were unworthy of our great city.
Antiracism officials said the episode was another embarrassment for Russia as it prepares to host the 2018 World Cup and for Gazprom, the government-controlled natural gas company that owns Zenit St. Petersburg and is a sponsor of the Champions League, Europes most important club tournament.
Late Monday night, Zenits sporting director, Dietmar Beiersdorfer, rebuked the fan group, saying on the club Web site, We make our player selections without any limitation regarding origin, religion or skin color.
Zenits Italian manager, Luciano Spalletti, called for inclusiveness and respect of other cultures in an interview with the clubs radio network, saying that being tolerant means that you fight against any kind of stupidity.
Despite Zenits disavowal of its fan clubs demand to sign only white players, at some point, this policy has been practiced by the club, said Piara Powar, the executive director of the London-based FARE network, formerly known as Football Against Racism in Europe.
Zenit was the only top-level Russian club never to include a black player until early September, when it signed the Brazilian forward Hulk and the Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel for a combined $100 million. In late September, according to Russian news accounts, a fake bomb was found in a bag at Zenits training site, with a photograph of Hulk and the inscription, Hulk out!
The French midfielder Yann MVila, who is black, reportedly turned down a transfer to Zenit in August after receiving threats from some of the clubs most extreme supporters, known as ultras, who have a notorious saying, Theres no black in the colors of Zenit.
Last year, Zenit was fined about $10,000 after one of its fans offered a banana to Roberto Carlos, the onetime Brazilian great who was finishing his club career in Russia. Later last year, Carlos walked off the field before the final whistle in a match against Zenit after a banana was thrown at him.
In 2008, Zenits manager at the time, Dick Advocaat of the Netherlands, said, I would be happy to sign anyone, but the fans dont like black players.
In 2007, Serge Branco, a midfielder from Cameroon playing in the Russian league, said he incurred repeated racial abuse by Zenit fans and added, Zenit bosses do not do anything about it, which makes me think they are racists, too.
European soccer has dealt with a number of high-profile instances of racial abuse since last December, including the suspensions of Luis Suárez of Liverpool and John Terry of Chelsea in Englands Premier League. By degree, racism and xenophobia have historically been more virulent in Eastern Europe, with some fans making monkey chants and throwing bananas, and others giving Nazi salutes.
The Russian soccer federation was fined $150,000 at the European Championships last summer after some fans fought with stadium stewards and displayed nationalistic Russian Empire flags. Russian fans also clashed with Polish fans in Warsaw and were accused of racially taunting Theodor Gebre Selassie, the lone black player for the Czech Republic.
People ask me, Are we in crisis in Europe? Powar of the FARE antiracist organization said in a telephone interview from London. I dont think so. Theres not the same focus on racial tribalism as in the past. I think some big gains have been made. But some things we took for granted have been eroded away. Its been a tough year, a step backward.
The latest racial behavior by Zenit fans underscores the education of tolerance necessary in Russia ahead of the 2018 World Cup, said Powar, who visited Moscow last week. The Russian soccer federation understands the problems they face; they seem determined to do what they can, Powar said. But in the end, Russia is a very big place. To completely eradicate elements like this is going to be very difficult.
Some antiracism officials have criticized the muted response by European soccer officials to the latest Zenit incident. UEFA, European soccers governing body, has asked Zenit to clarify its position on the signing of players. Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA, soccers world governing body, which has called for zero tolerance of racism, could not be reached for comment. The FIFA Web site did not address the issue Monday or Tuesday.
Where is the world governing body in its denouncement? said Lord Herman Ouseley of London, chairman of the antiracist group Kick it Out.
Last week, Ouseley resigned a position with the English soccer federation, saying he thought it was retreating in its fight against racism. Of the demand by Zenit fans, he said from London: It stands out because its gone public. But a lot of people are trying to articulate prejudices in different ways, behind the scenes, with a lot of pressure applied.
Given the growing diversity on Europes elite club teams, adherence to a policy of racial purity would only limit the breadth of Zenits player pool and lead to isolation and failure, Powar said.
Perhaps that is no bad thing, he said.
A version of this article appeared in print on December 19, 2012, on page B18 of the New York edition with the headline: Russian Fans Marching Backward to Intolerance. |
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