Tuesday 6 March 2007

Sporting Round-up

No, this blog hasn't suddenly become the online continuation of Grandstand; it's just that today the two racism stories I've found are both football-related.

1. Police have said they are investigating allegations of racist chanting by a number of West Ham supporters before the 4-3 Premiership defeat to Tottenham at Upton Park. Footage of anti-Semitic chanting appeared on the Internet yesterday, but has since been removed at the request of the Police.

We all know my opinion: racist chanting is no worse than any other form of abusive chanting that happens throughout a match. If there are deep-seated prejudices among a significant portion of West Ham fans this should be investigated but I think racism is so overblown these days it can just become pointless to deal with it.

2. A football supporter accused of racially abusing Jason Scotland, the St Johnstone striker, has been banned from all football grounds in the United Kingdom.

Again, the idea of being banned for racist chanting when, as far as I know, no one was banned for the vile and disgusting abuse hurled at David Beckham after the 1998 World Cup, just assaults my sensibilities as FLAT OUT WRONG.

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