Racial Prejudice in Football

Running Head : Racial prejudice in football

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Introduction

This presents research on racial prejudice in football . The focus is specifically on racial prejudice among players in European soccer Racial prejudice relates to discrimination of soccer players on the basis of their race . The discrimination can be through use of words and statements which are not race friendly as well as actions which are meant to discriminate against people of a given race

According to Stuart Sim (2008 , Soccer is a very old game

that can be traced to the ancient generation including the second century when Chinese were involved in kicking a leather ball through a small hole in a piece of silk cloth strung between two high poles . These were the primitive ages of soccer which has evolved over the decades to gain the current international frenzy witnessed in the modern world . Europe has distinguished itself as the home of the modern day soccer . The concept of buying players promoted by the leading football clubs in Europe and all over the world has led to players of different races and ethnic backgrounds converging in the same soccer team . It is the black players in European soccer clubs who have faced a substantial share of racial discrimination by the white players , funs and even some club administrators . In other European nations like Germany , a section of the crowd attending football matches have been noticed showering insults at minority players mainly from Africa and Arab world . This is worsened if their team has lost the match to an opponent team where the minority player is playing for . This discrimination has not spared even African- American players who compete professionally in European leagues . These players give testimonies of having to suffer verbal and physical abuse because of their race both while in the field and when outside the field . It is very unfortunate that these nations continue to host major world soccer games like world cup . In addition , racial prejudice is not only a problem for the minority players but also non-white players who attend these matches . Racial discrimination is so entrenched in some cities that non-white visitors can not venture freely outside the confines of the stadium or their hotels into the town and the villages in fear of being abused both verbally and physically because of their race . Incidences of racial discrimination have always been overshadowed by the hooliganism associated with European soccer matches . There is however rising trends in racial slurs and racially charged incidents as a result of a number of factors including the increasing racial diversity of formerly all-white clubs . This has been promoted by big European clubs signing players from other nations outside Europe especially harnessing the great potential in Africa . It is the dream of every African soccer players to join these wealthy clubs due to lack of enough resources by African governments to support such talents . The prestigious lifestyles by Africans playing for these clubs are also a motivational...