UEFA and Racism

A post match reflection on England’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria on Monday should be reflecting on a fine Three Lions performance. One that accompanied a cruising 6-0 victory in Sofia.

It should be about what Harry Winks brought to the midfield, and how it helped England retain and move the ball. And then there should be talk on the ever blossoming partnership between Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling, as well as Kane’s ever increasing role as provider for England.

It should also be about the brilliantly assured performance from Tyrone Mings on his debut. But instead of purring over those wonderful first touches he takes to move himself away from opposition players, we are talking about when he turned to the linesman to say: “hey, did you hear that?”

The racist abuse in Sofia on Monday night was horrific and appalling. It also shows a complete failure on UEFA’s front to deal with it.

The punishments levelled at countries and clubs whose fans are guilty of racial abuse are pitiful. These partial stadium closures and poultry fines are, unsurprisingly, doing very little to stop racism in the sport.

It’s worth bearing in mind that UEFA once fined Nicklas Bendtner £80,000 for wearing underpants with a PaddyPower logo. In the same year (2012), they also fined Porto just £16,700 for monkey chants aimed at Mario Balotelli.

Fines like these, intentionally or not, set a precedent of sorts. It sends a message out that UEFA are not taking racism seriously.

And what only adds to that sentiment are the limp partial stadium closures, with respect banners occupying the empty seats. It’s a futile gesture, and one that was openly mocked by the racists in attendance on Monday’s game.

What was different about that game, though, was that the ‘protocol’ for racist abuse was put into action, with a tannoy announcement echoing around the stadium warning that the game would be suspended should the abuse continue.

The game made it to half time - with six minutes added on for racism - and the players came back out for the second half and played the full match. One step of the protocol was carried out, but steps two and three (suspension then abandonment) were not.

It’s been reported from inside the stadium that the racist abuse was lesser in the second half, but still present. UEFA may champion the protocols, but it’s much more likely that the escorting of the racist thugs out of the stadium was the real reason for this. It’s unclear if this had anything to do with UEFA.

The protocols have been in place for a number of years now, although this was the first high profile implementation of them. Seeing the continuation of the match hang in the balance due to racist abuse seemed like something of a step forward, although this is not UEFA’s victory. It was more down to the defiant front of the England squad.

There willingness to walk off, as expressed in the run up to the game, brought the issue to the forefront. And the players and management made sure to push that issue during the game. It was their boldness in the face of racism that saw this ‘step forward’.

But it shouldn’t have to come from players like this. It should come from the governing bodies, and more simply has to be done.

The current sanctions are obviously not taken seriously. Competition bans need to be handed out at club and country level. And points deductions must be dished out for league matches.

UEFA are not the only governing body that need to take more action on this. Our own FA have been pedestrian when reacting to this. Leeds United were fined £200,000 over the spy-gate drama, while Millwall were fined just £10,000 for the vile racist chanting in last season’s FA Cup.

That’s right. In the FA’s eyes, an intern with a pair of binoculars is 20 times worse than racism.

Racism is a societal problem, and changing football will never really change society. But it is coming ever more obtusely to the surface at matches. And football’s governing bodies, at home and abroad, must make a far more diligent stand against it.