Of course there are mixed opinions about the ban that Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela received this week for making racist comments towards Glen Kamara in a recent game against Rangers.
At least something was done for once rather than trying to sweep it all under the carpet, but longer bans have been handed out for betting offences so it still doesn’t really look like the authorities are doing all they can to stamp racism out of the game.
Slavia Prague have also potentially disgraced themselves by trying to paint their racist player as some kind of victim, so there is something beautifully powerful about this image for many tonight:
Captain fantastic Alex Lacazette means business tonight ? pic.twitter.com/bJH8LnMbws
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) April 15, 2021
fantastic pic!
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 15, 2021
Such a strong picture. New header right there
— AubameBloodClatYang (@MagnusLanding) April 15, 2021
I hate Arsenal but I hate racists more. Up the gooners
— FF (@FrederikFish) April 15, 2021
Love the way he’s right in front of them like that
— El Comandante (@ElComandante84) April 15, 2021
Great pic. No words needed
— ArseingAbout (@giwarn) April 15, 2021
What a picture ?? that is brilliant from @LacazetteAlex
— Nephela (@KoziDaviDKuRu) April 15, 2021
Considering the massive racism storm, an image like this certainly holds a lot of weight.
Whilst Slavia Prague may have left themselves open to more criticism in deciding to stand instead of using this opportunity to perform a widely recognised gesture in support of the battle against racism, something you’d have thought would be a given especially after the recent UEFA investigation outcome.
Personally I think taking the knee is futile, it is an empty gesture and as old fashioned as slavery itself. The fact that it has changed noting, means it means nothing. Let’s try meaningful, powerful measures, not just for stance against racism but all types of diversity. I like the idea of social media blockage, I like the idea of teams walking off, I want to see leagues, confederations and FIFA stopping this bullshit. Enough is enough, we have lived side by side, race by race, colour by colour for too many years to allow this to still divide us. But it must not be about BLM it should be about all discrimination, where were the protests when the khymer rouge were involved in genocide? Where was the world when the shit was going down in Myanmar? The Kurdish massacres? The Palestinians? The problems in Ireland?
Football is the biggest global sport in the world, but in FIFA we have the weakest leaders, interested only in money.
Good on arsenal and brave of Lacca, but let’s try not to overreact on this one incident but realise that these nation’s need educating like ourselves of 30 years ago! ‘Acceptance’