Suarez

[Snake]

Time thankfully slowly changes the bad things that we used to deem as being acceptable and funny ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... s4BqzHEK6o but 8 games?

[Bushy]

8 game ban with no police investigation! I think he is lucky considering what is possibly happening to John Terry.

What I do not like about this incident is that whether it is offensive in his country or not he obviously new what kind of reaction he was getting so continued to fan the flames.

If without doubt they are proven guilty, then they both deserve what they get.

[Paul Cooper]

8 games is maybe a little harsh.

What surprises me is the Liverpool reaction though. Are they condoning the language that the player himself seems to admitted using?

The slating of the FA also seems a little over the top as those hearing the case were totaly indeopendent from the FA.

[Radley Rambler]

8 games is maybe a little harsh.

What surprises me is the Liverpool reaction though. Are they condoning the language that the player himself seems to admitted using?

The slating of the FA also seems a little over the top as those hearing the case were totaly indeopendent from the FA.

I thought the same, I was also disappointed to see the heroic reception he received from fellow players and Liverpool fans on Tuesday night. Whilst supporters should back their players, there are occasions where this is not appropriate and this is one of them. It's a little like the 'One Adam Chapman' song - something I never joined in with. Adam was very unlucky imho but he did commit the crime and a man died, I fail to see how this gives him an iconic status.

[A-Ro]

8 games is maybe a little harsh.

What surprises me is the Liverpool reaction though. Are they condoning the language that the player himself seems to admitted using?

The slating of the FA also seems a little over the top as those hearing the case were totaly indeopendent from the FA.

I thought the same, I was also disappointed to see the heroic reception he received from fellow players and Liverpool fans on Tuesday night. Whilst supporters should back their players, there are occasions where this is not appropriate and this is one of them. It's a little like the 'One Adam Chapman' song - something I never joined in with. Adam was very unlucky imho but he did commit the crime and a man died, I fail to see how this gives him an iconic status.

I haven't heard the chant but I see nothing wrong in welcoming Adam back into the fold, he has done his time and should now be allowed to continue on with his life.

[Radley Rambler]

8 games is maybe a little harsh.

What surprises me is the Liverpool reaction though. Are they condoning the language that the player himself seems to admitted using?

The slating of the FA also seems a little over the top as those hearing the case were totaly indeopendent from the FA.

I thought the same, I was also disappointed to see the heroic reception he received from fellow players and Liverpool fans on Tuesday night. Whilst supporters should back their players, there are occasions where this is not appropriate and this is one of them. It's a little like the 'One Adam Chapman' song - something I never joined in with. Adam was very unlucky imho but he did commit the crime and a man died, I fail to see how this gives him an iconic status.

I haven't heard the chant but I see nothing wrong in welcoming Adam back into the fold, he has done his time and should now be allowed to continue on with his life.[/quote]

You misunderstand me - at every game when he was inside, this chant was sung which to my mind was inappropriate. I firmly agree that now he is back with us, we should encourage him.

[theox]

8 game ban with no police investigation! I think he is lucky considering what is possibly happening to John Terry.

The difference with the Suarez case in terms of a police investigation is that no one complained to the police. Evra himself did not complain and no one else heard the conversation so the police cannot prosecute.

[A-Ro]

I thought the same, I was also disappointed to see the heroic reception he received from fellow players and Liverpool fans on Tuesday night. Whilst supporters should back their players, there are occasions where this is not appropriate and this is one of them. It's a little like the 'One Adam Chapman' song - something I never joined in with. Adam was very unlucky imho but he did commit the crime and a man died, I fail to see how this gives him an iconic status.

I haven't heard the chant but I see nothing wrong in welcoming Adam back into the fold, he has done his time and should now be allowed to continue on with his life.

You misunderstand me - at every game when he was inside, this chant was sung which to my mind was inappropriate. I firmly agree that now he is back with us, we should encourage him.

I guess that must have been in the OM then, I never heard it in the SSL and yes that does sound inappropriate.

[Baboo]

8 games is maybe a little harsh.

What surprises me is the Liverpool reaction though. Are they condoning the language that the player himself seems to admitted using?

The slating of the FA also seems a little over the top as those hearing the case were totaly indeopendent from the FA.

At the risk of being called a racist I would say there is no maybe about it and I'd swap &quotlittle&quot for &quotvery harsh&quot. But perhaps he's a secret member of the KKK and the authorities are out to get him whatever way possible. Anyway, precedent set. Or will matters change on appeal?

Is &quotnegrito&quot a term of race hate when spoken by a South American?

Evra has previously claimed that he has been racially abused - I don't know if he was or wasn't. But in 2006 the police found that the accused Steve Finnan (of Liverpool) was without blame &amp then there was that incident with the Chelsea groundsman in 2008.

If Suarez is really a nasty racist I'd say throw the book at him but if not show some commonsense and reasonable proportion in dishing out the punishment.

And if Evra is regularly being targeted and has the balls to do something about it - hats off to him.


Sits back and waits ...

[Isaac]

One of the problems with this incident is it's 2 of the biggest clubs in the country who also happen to be rivals, so there's a lot of smearing and general nonsense going around. They could do with explaining the evidence and decision more clearly.

Too add to the confusion, I could be wrong as my memory isn't what it was, but I don't think it was Evra who accused Finnan of being racist, wasn't it some deaf fans? It was a bit bizarre. Likewise the Chelsea groundsman incident - wasn't that complaint actually made by someone else (the kitman? I can't remember). Now, you could arguably make the case that it's all a bit of a coincidence, but the accusation that Evra regularly plays the race card isn't clear cut.

A big thing is rightly made out of kick racism out of football by all the clubs. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect someone like Suarez (he's been in the uk for nearly a year) to know not to call someone a negrito, or at least be educated by the club he plays for that this type of thing isn't acceptable given the connotations. If he has (and I think he admitted it, the argument is over what he meant by it) then he's either let himself down, or his club have. My opinion is they've done the right thing to come down hard on him. As it sends a message that no matter what you can't use phrases like that.

[neilw]

Was it &quotracist abuse&quot or was he trying to find words to cause the most offence to the individual. Perhaps something which he regularly does to all opposing players regardless of colour or nationality. Same for Terry maybe?

I'd imagine that neither are racist. Merely two horrible individuals with little respect for others who set out to offend. Is the word &quotnegitro&quot more offensive than, say ..... &quotLittle white shit&quot?

In these incidents, there does appear to be a massive over reaction. However, one would struggle to defend Terry, given his consistant inappropriate behaviour. Nasty !

It goes without saying, I deplore racism in all forms.

[slappy]

I had thought eight matches was excessive, compared to a leg-breaking red card tackle potentially being just three. But then I read some of the other bans for PDC's pushing the ref over was 11, and another playing pushing the ref was 10?

I think the FA needs a clear Mission Statement. On its website there are well hidden sections for Respect (referees) and Football for All :
&quotIt's about doing things properly. About making sure everyone has a chance to be involved in football, regardless of ability, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. About encouraging and increasing the involvement of groups at all levels of football by recognising that inequalities exist and taking steps to address them. It's about making opportunities available where currently there are few available. About using the power of football to build a better future. In order to achieve these objectives, Football For All has become a part of everything we do at The FA.&quot which seems a bit overblown and airy fairy.

If they are that serious about Respect and Football for All it should be bang on the front page, rather than an advert for replica football kit and Wembley tickets.

I'd have something like &quotpromoting football to be played and watched by all without discrimination, and with respect for players, opponents, officials and fans&quot

[BigCrompy]

I'd imagine that neither are racist. Merely two horrible individuals with little respect.

Did anyone on here ever see Darcus Howe run rings around Ron Atkinson in an interview following Ron's indiscretion on TV? I don't even think Ron is that nasty horrible individual without respect, but he did seem incredulous that what he thought and said was utterly unacceptable irrespective of what was meant. To my mind the very fact that Suarez thinks in this way and doesn't have the realisation that he cannot vocalise these thoughts - makes him a racist irrespective of what HE meant.

People who deplore racism cannot conceive the circumstance in which they'd ever use words that could discriminate in this way.

[theox]

I'd imagine that neither are racist. Merely two horrible individuals with little respect.

Did anyone on here ever see Darcus Howe run rings around Ron Atkinson in an interview following Ron's indiscretion on TV? I don't even think Ron is that nasty horrible individual without respect, but he did seem incredulous that what he thought and said was utterly unacceptable irrespective of what was meant. To my mind the very fact that Suarez thinks in this way and doesn't have the realisation that he cannot vocalise these thoughts - makes him a racist irrespective of what HE meant.

People who deplore racism cannot conceive the circumstance in which they'd ever use words that could discriminate in this way.

Words only have the meanings that people apply to them. Just because the majority apply one meaning to a word does not mean that everybody does.

The word 'negro' still appears in the dictionary and (in the dictionary I own) is not defined as an offensive term.

I think the problem comes with the intent behind any word. Was Alan Hansen trying to be offensive when he said 'coloured'? Was Saurez trying to offend Evra? Was Evra trying to be offensive when he called Saurez a 'South American' in retaliation?

If so, they are in the wrong. If not, they are ignorant of generally acceptable use of language and need educating.

[Old Abingdonian]

I have spent a fair amount of my professional life combating racism, but this does smack of an excessive, 'deterrent' judgement. As someone has pointed out, a career-threatening (and possibly deliberate) tackle might yield only three games, and every footballer would doubtless choose abuse over long-term injury.

In my experience, racist language directed at Travellers remains harder to stamp out that other forms of racism. Did Billy ever suffer racial abuse? And if he did, would he have thought to complain?