Well done AC Milan

[hibby rae]

Hopefully as the response from players to this vile abuse gets stronger we will eventually see some proper action being taken by the footballing authorities.

[matty_f]

Boetang booted the ball into the crowd. It's a good job Van Persie wasn't watching or he could have been killed!

[--------]

Hopefully as the response from players to this vile abuse gets stronger we will eventually see some proper action being taken by the footballing authorities.



It was a friendly, so walking off had no repercussions for the players or for the club.

Do that in a League or Cup tie and you're liable to lose the match by default.

I know it's difficult, but I do think that the ONLY way to deal with this is for police and stewards to actually deal with the perpetrators in the stadium, as it happens.

Which of course assumes that the police and stewards aren't themselves racists.

[Cropley10]

Boetang booted the ball into the crowd. It's a good job Van Persie wasn't watching or he could have been killed!

:faf: :topmarks:

[hibsbollah]

In a way it's a good news story. Player walks off, gets backed up by his fellow players, the majority of the lower league ground also applauds him, he applauds them back, Italian FA publically supports his decision to do so, and hopefully this raises it higher on FIFA and UEFAs agenda.

[--------]

In a way it's a good news story. Player walks off, gets backed up by his fellow players, the majority of the lower league ground also applauds him, he applauds them back, Italian FA publically supports his decision to do so, and hopefully this raises it higher on FIFA and UEFAs agenda.


Yup - it's a good thing to have happened and it should raise the profile of the problem at FIFA and UEFA. I just don't know how it would pan out if a team did it in a competitive match.

Truth is, I don't think football as a whole takes the question of "respect" seriously - whether it's a matter of showing respect to people of a different reace or ethnicity, different sexuality, or even just treating opponents with normal professional courtesy.

Look at some of what went on at Tynie last night, and the way McGlynn continues to make disparaging comments about Hibs. As far as I can make out we had Hibs players being spat on continually throughout the match, a ball-boy spat on when he went to retrieve the ball, coins being thrown at the Hearts keeper and a flare thrown from the Wheatfield into the Hibs end. (I'd be VERY surprised if Ben Williams didn't get stuff thrown at him too.)

Then we had McGlynn's classless, graceless and provocative about Hibs comments after the game. And religious/political sectarian hate-songs from the home support throughout.

And a leg-breaking tackle dismissed by McGlynn as just one of those things - in keeping with the "derby atmosphere". "Five years ago that wouldn't have been an issue," he said. REALLY?

My point is that football authorities really do have to crack down on a lot of what goes on in football grounds - and generally speaking the supporters would back them.

UNTIL, that is, the authorities decide to ban a song thoise particular supporters think is funny. (Remember the endless debates about the refugee song, or the Hartrley/gay song?) What's one man's homophobic abuse is another man's harmless banter, I'm afraid.

Maybe the only way is if the players being abused do just what Boateng did here - walk off and refuse to grin and bear it any longer.

[hibsbollah]

Yup - it's a good thing to have happened and it should raise the profile of the problem at FIFA and UEFA. I just don't know how it would pan out if a team did it in a competitive match.

Truth is, I don't think football as a whole takes the question of "respect" seriously - whether it's a matter of showing respect to people of a different reace or ethnicity, different sexuality, or even just treating opponents with normal professional courtesy.

Look at some of what went on at Tynie last night, and the way McGlynn continues to make disparaging comments about Hibs. As far as I can make out we had Hibs players being spat on continually throughout the match, a ball-boy spat on when he went to retrieve the ball, coins being thrown at the Hearts keeper and a flare thrown from the Wheatfield into the Hibs end. (I'd be VERY surprised if Ben Williams didn't get stuff thrown at him too.)

Then we had McGlynn's classless, graceless and provocative about Hibs comments after the game. And religious/political sectarian hate-songs from the home support throughout.

And a leg-breaking tackle dismissed by McGlynn as just one of those things - in keeping with the "derby atmosphere". "Five years ago that wouldn't have been an issue," he said. REALLY?

My point is that football authorities really do have to crack down on a lot of what goes on in football grounds - and generally speaking the supporters would back them.

UNTIL, that is, the authorities decide to ban a song thoise particular supporters think is funny. (Remember the endless debates about the refugee song, or the Hartrley/gay song?) What's one man's homophobic abuse is another man's harmless banter, I'm afraid.

Maybe the only way is if the players being abused do just what Boateng did here - walk off and refuse to grin and bear it any longer.

My feeling is that if FIFA/UEFA brought in a law for a three point deduction and fine for racist chanting it would stop without the need for abused players to walk off, but Platini et al don't really seem to take it seriously. It just needs some political will.

I agree with your wider point about respect.

[--------]

My feeling is that if FIFA/UEFA brought in a law for a three point deduction and fine for racist chanting it would stop without the need for abused players to walk off, but Platini et al don't really seem to take it seriously. It just needs some political will.

I agree with your wider point about respect.


Points deductioin is the way, I agree.

PROVIDED you have a governing body with the guts to apply the rule evenly - racist/sectarian/homophobic abuse in the SPL? Do we really think the penalties would be spread fairly?

But again - all respect to Boateng and the players and clubs here.

[LeighLoyal]

Why is it a well done? They walked out in a friendly verses some postman and bus drivers.

[Big Ed]

Why is it a well done? They walked out in a friendly verses some postman and bus drivers.

Well it's a start.

It was Boateng himself who booted the ball into the crowd and walked off. The other Milan players could have tried to placate him and the Manager could have sent the team back out (the Pro Patria players went out to try to tell their fans to calm down a bit whilst the Milan players were in the dressing room).

The good thing is that even though the player reacted by walking off; his club showed solidarity.

[hibby rae]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20935703

Not often I would find myself agreeing with Berlusconi!

[1two]

Why is it a well done? They walked out in a friendly verses some postman and bus drivers.

The fact we're talking about it on here means it has ha the right affect

[Richibee]

I agree with Blatter when he says that the players should not decide themselves to walk off, if they do then they/the team are rightly subject to sanctions.
If abuse occurs it should be reported to the match officials for them to then report to police/stewards etc. If it is not dealt with the match officials can decide to stop/abandon the game and the team whose supporters are giving out the abuse are then punished.

[Future17]

I agree with Blatter when he says that the players should not decide themselves to walk off, if they do then they/the team are rightly subject to sanctions.
If abuse occurs it should be reported to the match officials for them to then report to police/stewards etc. If it is not dealt with the match officials can decide to stop/abandon the game and the team whose supporters are giving out the abuse are then punished.

I 90% agree with you.

However, the problem is that match officials, police, stewards often don't deal with the abuse - certainly not pro-actively. It's unfortunately a cultural thing throughout UEFA (and perhaps FIFA). The Boateng/Milan reaction was similar to the "Kick It Out" t-shirt protest a month or so back. It wouldn't be necessary if the people with the power to do something actually did so.

[JimBHibees]

I 90% agree with you.

However, the problem is that match officials, police, stewards often don't deal with the abuse - certainly not pro-actively. It's unfortunately a cultural thing throughout UEFA (and perhaps FIFA). The Boateng/Milan reaction was similar to the "Kick It Out" t-shirt protest a month or so back. It wouldn't be necessary if the people with the power to do something actually did so.

Unfortunately Blatters organisation amongst others has woefully failed to deal with this matter. Giving out joke paltry fines and not dealing appropriately such as Spain v England and the recent Serbian game.