Round Table Discussion: Tackling Racism in Football

Round Table Discussion: Tackling Racism in Football

Hosted by:

The Consortium of Liverpool National Black & Anti-Racism Organisations

For

Liverpool Football Club & Local Leaders

            27^th March 2012 6p.m. till 730.p.m.

Background:

The issue of racism in football has emerged as a matter of national concern. The events involving John Terry of Chelsea and Luis Suarez of Liverpool Football Club (LFC) are two of the most prominent incidents that have attracted worldwide attention. Behind the headlines lies the reality that behaviour seen on the pitch today is replicated by young people and fans throughout the country. The findings of the FA investigation into the racially abusive comments made by Luis Suarez were rejected by LFC. The black communities of Liverpool responded to both the Luis Suarez issue and the subsequent inept handling of the issue, by LFC with disappoint and anger. This was also felt by many residents in white communities within the city of Liverpool and beyond. The reputation of both the City and the Club, for its commitment to race equality was damaged as a result. In addition, it was believed by many, that the actions of LFC  was seen to be encouraging and promoting racism more generally.   

As a result a letter was sent to the club offering advice about how to better manage the situation. This advice was not taken or acknowledged. The Consortium of local black and national anti racist organizations then formed and wrote to LFC seeking a meeting to discuss how best we could all work together to address these issues and restore the reputation of both the City and the Club. The key aim was to help to reverse the promotion of racism among fans and wider society.

That offer has so far been refused with LFC insisting that they are working with a range of national diversity organisations that have no links or track record with working with Liverpool's black community. This is unacceptable. LFC also stated that they are also working with the Liverpool City Council to address these issues. This is to be welcomed. Councils play an important role in providing civic leadership in challenging racism however this cannot be at the expense of the active involvement of communities and partnership at a strategic level. This matter flagged up an urgent need for LFC, to move beyond their work at grass roots level with local black communities and respect the need for community involvement at a strategic level.

To facilitate further discussion around these important matters, the Consortium, comprising of local communities from diverse racial groups and national black and anti racist organizations, through their campaign, Love Football Hate Racism, has organised a national roundtable debate. This is an attempt to facilitate discussion, enhance accountability and promote partnership. Working between LFC and Liverpool's black community, the consortium seeks to provide effective and sustainable local and national leadership on these issues.

The Consortium has won support and admirers locally and nationally, most notably from the Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Revd James Jones, who said;

“This is a hugely important issue and I am encouraged to know that you are taking the initiative to set up this discussion with Liverpool Football Club.”  

The Liverpool City Council has signed up and endorsed its commitment to points 3 and 4 of requests, in our statement of intent knowing that points 1 and 2 are not within their gift to do so.

The work effort, resources, human and physical is “big society” in action. The critics are growing fewer in numbers, daily, as we continue to win over hearts and minds and move closer to a sensible consensus on the way forward. The Consortium and its many supporters will continue to work to secure solutions; our lived experience and learned expertise can offer LFC and the city for the benefit of all of communities.

Round Table Discussion

Chairing this roundtable discussion will be Colin Parry OBE. Colin is a tireless campaigner for Peace and has become a prominent authority and speaker in the years following the IRA bombing in Warrington in which his son was killed. Following this tragic event, Colin and his wife Wendy founded the Foundation for Peace and created their unique Peace Centre in Warrington.

Colin was awarded the O.B.E in the Queen's birthday Honours list in 2004 and has received many other awards and accreditations including Rotary International's most prestigious award for 'World Understanding and Peace' before an audience of 10,000 in the Osaka Baseball Dome in Japan.

Invited guests to join the debate include:

                                               Councillor Joe Anderson- Leader of Council

                                           Jon Murphy- Merseyside Police Chief

                                           Mick Ord- Radio Merseyside

                                           Sir Terry Leahy- Business Rep

                                           Liverpool FC representatives (2)

                                           Simone Pound- Professional Footballers Association

                                           John Barnes- Former LFC Player

                                           MP Louise Ellman

                                           MP Steve Rotheham

                                           Councillor Anna Rothery

                                           Alistair Machray- Liverpool Echo

                                           

Consortium                                                    

                                           Gloria Hyatt MBE- Teach Consultancy

                                           Eric Lynch- Slavery History Tours

                                           Earl Jenkins - Kingsley United

                                           Femi Sowende - Merseyside Black History   

                                           Month

                                           Alec Mc Fadden - Merseyside Coalition Against 

                                           Racism and Facism - Merseyside and TUC

                                           Simon Woolley - Operation Black vote

                                           Peter Herbert OBE - Society of Black Lawyers

                                           Lee Jasper- London Race and Criminal Justice

                                           Viv Ahmun- Core Plan UK

                                           Charles Critchlow - National Black Police Association

                                           

Others & Community        Arun Kang - Sporting Equals

                                            Sir Herman Ousely -Kick Racism Out Football

                                            TBC rep- Show Racism The Red Card

                                            Clare Dove MBE- Blackburne House

                                            Anthony Walker Foundation

                                            Michelle Charters - Kuumba Imani Millennium Centre

The roundtable will focus on three key issues; 

1.   How do we work with others to highlight and reduce racism in football in light of the LFC’s handing of the Luis Suarez incident and the issues as laid out in our statement of intent?

2.   What can football clubs do to challenge racism in football and join the debate about tackling racism in wider society?

3.  How do we move forward in partnership, taking into consideration the 4 requests made by the Consortium of Liverpool National Black and Anti-racist Organisations?

The Consortium’s Statement of Intent and Four Requests;

• that LFC publicly accept the findings of the FA into the Suarez case.
• that LFC and Suarez publicly apologize to Patrice Evra.
• that LFC in partnership with Liverpool and national black and anti-racist organisations commit to and sponsor an international conference on the issue of eradicating racism in football.
• that civic leaders in addition to LFC sign up to a public declaration reaffirming their commitment to combating racism and promoting race equality through pro active actions.

Desired Outcome

Our focus is to ensure that Liverpool Football Club, Liverpool City Council and key leaders in the city

acknowledge the issue of racism and work in partnership strategically with Liverpool's black community and the Consortium in seeking to address these important issues. 

·         NB: We acknowledge that not all invited guests will be able to attend the debate though they may inform it.

 

 On Twitter follow @LFHRUK  

For further information about the consortium go to: http://lfhruk.blogspot.com

The Consortium of Liverpool National Black & Anti-Racism Organisations

Campaign: Love Football Hate Racism

Steve Rotheram MP responds to our complaint re: Twitter comments

Office of Steve Rotheram MP

                                                                                                                                House of Commons

                                                                                                                                London

                                                                                                                                SW1A 0AA

Dear Zita

I am responding to your email of 5^th March 2012 regarding your letter of formal complaint to Right Honourable Ed Miliband MP.

Can I first of all say that I am proud that one of the first groups I joined when entering Parliament was Show Racism the Red Card. In fact I specifically asked Ed as the newly elected Leader of the Labour Party for a picture to launch my new website over 12 months ago holding my SRtRC pack (see below). I have taken part in SRtRC events both in Parliament and at a fundraising football match at Stamford Bridge last year.

http://steverotherammp.org.uk/

The Luis Suarez/Patrice Evra incidents have caused great distress to many people on both sides of the argument which unfortunately descended into football tribalism. Even John Barnes, a pioneer against racism in football, has been criticised by some for supporting Liverpool FCs stance on the issue. Before the two most recent games against Manchester United, Derek Twigg MP and I met with Club officials to highlight our apprehension that the toxicity of events could spiral out of control and endanger the safety of supporters from both Clubs. We also explained our concerns at the way in which the Club had handled matters.

I believe that some of the comments on social networking sites and other fora from a minority of supposed supporters based on race hate, have been disgraceful and should lead to those responsible being prosecuted. The press (other than locally) have been scathing of LFC/Suarez and their handling of the whole affair.

However, both Clubs agreed to draw a line under the matter, but there are some who would like to perpetuate the myth that Liverpool is a racist City and that LFC is a racist club for totally nefarious motives. This has been damaging to our reputation.

I have therefore been cautious about reigniting something that appeared to have been diffused (and I’m talking about the LFC/MUFC aspect here). I am not saying that there aren’t racists in Liverpool. I fought the BNP in the Fazakerley Ward who tried to stir up racial hatred, citing jobs at Aintree Hospital Trust being given to ‘immigrants’, which resulted, when I confronted a gang of them, in my own house and two young daughters being targeted by a group of BNP sympathisers with loud hailers.

I am also certain that despite improvements over the last 20-odd-years, racism in football still exists and despite a reduction in overtly racist behaviour (such as racist chants) I am in no doubt that racism persists in the mind, both within football clubs and on the terraces. Just because someone no longer says/shouts it, doesn’t mean they are not still thinking it.

Last week I responded to tweets I received complaining about an on-line petition allegedly tarnishing Liverpool and LFC. I certainly should have been more circumspect, although in my overly simplistic response to concerns raised, I did not refer to either; any particular petition, or to any specific group. I did admittedly generalise about people ‘intent on causing trouble’ with regard to the Suarez/Evra situation. I did not suggest that racism itself should be ignored (obviously) and can’t believe that anyone who knows me, follows me on Twitter or has paid attention to the work I have done as an MP around sport and the governance/behaviour of clubs and fans, would interpret my comments thus.

However, people had voiced their concern that the terms of an on-line petition were perpetuating the misperception of the Club and our City as being racist. It was this particular aspect that I (clumsily) suggested should be ignored.  For any offence that I have caused, I unreservedly apologise.

There are several e-petitions that I have been asked to sign, for example requesting the FA to reopen the case against Luis Suarez given new evidence by linguistic specialists and sports lawyers, or ones that are critical of Patrice Evra’s behaviour, that I have (rightly) ignored, but there are some people that take every opportunity to have a go at scousers and knock our city, and I should have been more careful to check whether your on-line petition was similar to others posted. For misinterpreting your aims, once again I apologise.

As you will know, you only get 140 characters to put into context your thoughts on Twitter and I agree that my tweet (in hindsight) is, at best, awkward. Perhaps I would have been better emailing my wider beliefs on Racism in Football with a link to my website, which I regret not doing. In no way was what I tweeted meant to be insulting. I apologise.

In fact, so concerned was I about the whole issue of racism in football following the two high profile cases (Suarez/Evra and Terry/Ferdinand), that I secured a session for the DCMS Select Committee to look into the issue so that we could scrutinise the wider concerns; ensure that progress on tackling racism be continued and guarantee vigilance against complacency. It was due to take place today, but was unfortunately postponed due to the requirement for the Select Committee to complete the phone hacking report. I have been liaising directly with SRtRC to ensure that their evidence is heard.

Let me be absolutely clear; I have supported the two largest anti-racism campaigns, Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card, in my role as a Liverpool City Councillor, Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Member of Parliament for Liverpool Walton and as a football fan. I am a former PCS rep and my commitment to helping, wherever possible, to the eradication of racism in football, sport and society in general is real and I wouldn’t knowingly cause offence on such an important issue. If I did, then quite simply I AM SORRY.

Yours sincerely

Steve Rotheram

The new and emerging face of racial discrimination - by Gloria Hyatt MBE

Oldham FC player Tom Adeyemi allegedly being racially abused at the FA cup tie by a Liverpool FC fan in Anfield

I struggle like many in the modern age to pin point exactly when I am being confronted by racism, due to the new and emerging subtleties and sophistication involved in the act of racism. The linking of historical atrocities to the continued importance of economic and cultural factors in today’s societies is becoming increasingly blurred as we are now forced to analyse the use of characters, who (Pepe Reina, for example) now feature in reinforcing negative 'black' stereotypes  in an attempt to be humorous and sell a product.

 First we must contextualise and understand, in both Spain and most of Latin America it is a cultural norm that the lighter your skin tone, in terms of your blackness, the greater your status is. Greater, is also, the likelihood, that you will find a brown skinned person, (who in the UK, would be considered by many, as black and of African heritage), undermining a darker skinned person. The Suarez comment, supported by his countries (Uruquay) president, “I don’t speak to Black people” is a high profile case that demonstrates this point.

The depiction of Pepe Reina, in the Groupama Seguros –Insurance company advert, being given to the blackened up African king, for sexual purposes  with Pepe a brown skinned man who’s name equates to queen in his county, being presented by the black man, demonstrates this reality also. The blacking up of white men, imitating what is heard as an African accent, in the advert, with Reina, harks back to a time, when black African people were not considered to represent anything beyond what was considered to be an 'uncivilized' African culture. And to add further, not considered fit to be true representatives of their entire or positively civilized African cultural identity.



Groupama commercial

 In the advert we are shown the white and blackened up representative and its brown skinned queen, supposedly all in good humour. This level of subtle racism, may escape the historical memory of those who know better, or the informed or educated mind who wish to understand better. It cannot however and should not escape any one of us, that such choice of words, representations of a identity, culture, ethnicity and actions, only serve to portray all things black and African as less than, undesirable and something to be laughed at.

What disturbs me most, as a woman of African heritage, who has the skin colouring of both Suarez and Reina, is the connection both these incidents have to the city of Liverpool, its football club and the long established residency of people like me who have an African heritage.  A community of people, who now, may be visibly described, as white skinned or light brown skinned, brown eyed or blue eyed, fair haired or blond haired people. A group of people incidentally, that in my father's Jamaican culture was known as being able to 'pass’ or in my mother’s Irish culture known by the ethnic slur of ‘blackie or darkie.’  

Simply speaking it was and is still perceived in many cities and countries around the world, that people who fit this description are more acceptable to white culture and people, given a higher status, and at times able to bypass racism. In addition it was believed this could be used for their own ends in some of the ways we have seen it played out in Spain and the Latin American countries and more recently the two players in Liverpool Football Club through Suarez and Reina.

LFC seem determined to not acknowledge the role, their cultural practices and their ethics has had in what has been a catalogue of errors in their management of issues around race and racism. They seem uninterested in admitting to their error, let alone apologizing, understanding or learning from it. 

 It will be at humanities peril, mentally, physically, emotionally and economically, especially for the descendents of African people if we ignore or minimize the reality of this new and emerging form of racial discrimination, A discrimination, packaged as an acceptable cultural norm, that one should dismiss, consider as humorous or just part of LFC’s acceptable culture that should go unchallenged.

This abuse is an affront to the proud tradition of racial integration and cohesion in the city of Liverpool, which all fans or non supporters should be rightly concerned about. We really must become involved in understanding the cause and reasons why we find our city at the centre of such behaviour with no civic or political leader being prepared to make a stand. We have to start talking seriously about race, honestly and constructively to seek to resolve what many continue to conveniently deny in the city of Liverpool and beyond.   

Gloria Hyatt MBE

Education Consultant and Executive Coach.

Consortium of Liverpool and National Black and Anti- Racism Organisations

NO to RACISM AT LIVERPOOL FC - Please sign E-petition

Published by Love Football Hate Racism on Mar 01, 2012

Please sign petition at:

 http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/racism-and-liverpool-fc.html

Background:

 

We have grave concerns about the inadequate responses of Liverpool Football Club to the findings by the FA regulatory commission that determined Luis Suarez was guilty of racially insulting the Manchester United player, Patrice Evra.

Football is a unifying sport providing pleasure and entertainment to billions of people across the planet. Young people from every corner of our world passionately support their team. Football players are held in high regard and viewed as positive role models.

Clubs, players and managers have an important and globally recognized responsibility to demonstrate their commitment to the principle of common decency and fair play. Throughout the world, both on and off the football pitch they inspire and socially educate billions of young people who admire and mimic their actions.

The issue of racism in football is one that requires unambiguous anti racist leadership. The actions of LFC in the run up to and following the publication of the FA’s findings fell short of the high standard of leadership expected for a team of their standing in the football community.

LFC actions, in vehemently rejecting the findings of the FA inquiry, their public displays of support for a player found guilty of racist abuse and his subsequent refusal to shake the hand of Evra at a recent game is completely unacceptable. These actions we believe could be considered as inciting racial intolerance.

Whilst the subsequent apologies for the failure to engage with the traditions of a pre game “hand shake” are to be welcomed, there remains deep concern, about LFC’s absolute refusal to accept the findings of the FA’s investigation. As such these apologies fail to meet the test of genuine remorse and understanding. This is further negated by LFC’s failure to apologise for racism either through the club or Suarez.

Neither have LFC recognised or acknowledged the consequent damage to race relations resulting from their actions and recognised by many people of all races across the country. As a result, efforts to combat racism in football and the wider society in general have been critically undermined.

Compounding these serious errors is the failures of Liverpool’s civic leaders, many of whom have remained silent on these critical issues and have failed to publicly condemn LFC’s decision not to robustly and effectively challenge racism.

Such is the overwhelming power of the Premier League and the influence of clubs such as LFC it is imperative that this situation cannot be allowed to stand.

The international reputation of Liverpool as a city committed to race equality is at stake. In addition there is a real and urgent need to restore confidence in the campaign against racism in football, both here, in the UK and across the world.

Petition details:

 

We the undersigned call on Liverpool Football Club to meet four key demands;

(1) Publicly accept the findings of the FA into the Suarez case.

(2) Liverpool FC and Luis Suarez to publicly apologize to Patrice Evra.

(3) In partnership with Liverpool and national black and minority ethnic organisations commit to and sponsor an international conference on the issue of eradicating racism in football.

(4) Together with civic leaders sign up to a public declaration reaffirming commitment to combating racism and promoting race equality through proactive actions.