Football Racism: Why Calling for Blatter's Head is Only the Beginning

screen capture from Blatter's interview, courtesy of BBC

Writing for The Daily Mail last month, Steve Doughty finishes his article about the Patrice Evra and Anton Ferdinand racism incidents by concluding that,

'Mr Evra and Mr Ferdinand, I know you feel insulted. But perhaps in this case you could just put up with it and get on with the game.'

Similarly, FIFA president Sepp Blatter, in an interview yesterday, made comments that may very well finally spell the end of his tenure in charge of football's governing body, suggesting that,

'The one affected by [racism] should say this is a game and shake hands.'

Blatter's quotes will be condemned around the world and, indeed, already have been by Rio (brother of Anton) Ferdinand, amongst other prominent footballing figures.

Doughty's comments, by comparison, were condemned at the time by a handful of commenters on The Mail's website (seventy-one at the final count).

The point is thus: until racism, in all its forms, is stamped out completely, treated with a zero tolerance attitude and singled out wherever it may be, it will continue to prosper and seep into culture.

The world, and, mainly, the press, will string Blatter up from a lamppost because he's a prominent figure who makes good headlines. Doughty, by comparison, seems only to have had to weather a storm that barely reached the level of a gentle breeze.

Society's tolerance of someone suggesting basically the same thing as Blatter, writing for a national newspaper with several thousand readers, allows the idea that racism is merely 'a little bit naughty' to flourish and prosper.

Doughty's article should have been treated with the same level of disdain that Blatter's comments were. We should have, to coin a FIFA phrase which now looks distinctly hypocritical, shown racism the red card. Our continued acceptance of people who fail to do just that informs, breeds and allows a feeling of tolerance towards the intolerant, a problem that is, sadly, not limited to Mr. Blatter and will not be solved merely by demanding his head.