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January 23, 2006

Racism and soccer

There was a great piece that aired last night on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" about racial incidents against black male soccer players during soccer games throughout Europe. The HBO Website isn't updated yet with info from this particular program  - but it was shocking to me to watch video of fans screaming racial taunts and chants (a monkey sound), throwing bananas at black players, etc. Racial comments being made by coaches, etc. In the U.S., the media has reported at times on acts of "hooliganism" - but I've never heard any stories about this hateful enviroment these soccer players play in on a game-to-game basis- in major stadiums around Europe. Plus some of these stadiums have sections that are taken over by ultra-right groups waving their swastica flags, etc. And even more embarassing is that UEFA, which governs the sport in Europe, is barely doing anything to control it.

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