The Kick It Out campaign has existed since the start of the 90's, but given the latest events in the Premier League question raises if racism has been kicked out of football?
A number of players boycotted the campaign in the weekend, and denied wearing the Kick It Out T-shirt during their warm-up. Anton Ferdinand, who was the one side of the John Terry saga, was one of the players who ditch the shirt. The same matters for Rio Ferdinand as well as the whole Swansea squad. However, more and more players, especially black, has denied wearing the shirt since 2007.
But how has the a campaign with such a great message, gone so wrong? Well, one of the reasons why is the shared feeling amongst black players, that KIO is not doing enough to battle racism. Joleon Lescott was the first player to refuse to wear the shirt, after his involvement in the Joseph Yobo vs. Emre Belozoglu. Emre was not punished in the racism case, even though Lescott had given written evidence.
The weekend's protest is more or less a result of the John Terry saga, as many of the players feels that the Chelsea captain was getting off easy from his alleged racism case. Furthermore, we see a tendency of more and more racial abuse in the Premier League, and it seems that Kick It Out and the F.A. have trouble stopping it.
A number of players boycotted the campaign in the weekend, and denied wearing the Kick It Out T-shirt during their warm-up. Anton Ferdinand, who was the one side of the John Terry saga, was one of the players who ditch the shirt. The same matters for Rio Ferdinand as well as the whole Swansea squad. However, more and more players, especially black, has denied wearing the shirt since 2007.
But how has the a campaign with such a great message, gone so wrong? Well, one of the reasons why is the shared feeling amongst black players, that KIO is not doing enough to battle racism. Joleon Lescott was the first player to refuse to wear the shirt, after his involvement in the Joseph Yobo vs. Emre Belozoglu. Emre was not punished in the racism case, even though Lescott had given written evidence.
The weekend's protest is more or less a result of the John Terry saga, as many of the players feels that the Chelsea captain was getting off easy from his alleged racism case. Furthermore, we see a tendency of more and more racial abuse in the Premier League, and it seems that Kick It Out and the F.A. have trouble stopping it.
Since Kick It Out was established there has been at least fifteen incidents of racism - which we know of - and several of them has either been without any intervention from KIO or have ended without any or a small punishment.
The message of keeping racism out of football has been shattered the last couple of years, and it seems unlikely that the body behind can collect all the pieces and reestablish it to was it was; at least in England. However, racism has to be KICKED out of football, but some new initiatives have to be made - fast! As Sir Alex Ferguson says:.
The message of keeping racism out of football has been shattered the last couple of years, and it seems unlikely that the body behind can collect all the pieces and reestablish it to was it was; at least in England. However, racism has to be KICKED out of football, but some new initiatives have to be made - fast! As Sir Alex Ferguson says:.
"This is a moment where we have to take stock. I think we should do something about it if it's surfacing again, and be really hard and firm on any form or shape of racism."
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