Birmingham City players Troy Deeney and Neil Etheridge want more to be done to tackle racism in football | Football News

Birmingham players Troy Deeney and Neil Etheridge have called for more to be done about racism in football, with the striker comparing the on-field culture to the movie ‘The Purge’.

Deeney was racially abused by one of Birmingham’s own supporters last month, while goalkeeper Etheridge also experienced racism from the stands during a recent game against Blackburn.

Couple sitting with Sky Sports News’ Miriam Walker-Khan to discuss recent incidents and why harsher punishments are needed for perpetrators.

Deeney said that when the fans gathered in the stadium, they felt they could do whatever they wanted – similar to ‘The Purge’, the film where people who commit crimes can go 12 hours with impunity.

“I think the reason why it’s so important and the reason we’re working together on what we’re trying to do is to bring to light, it’s not a black problem, it’s not an Asian problem – it’s a problem of discrimination everywhere,” Deeney explained. Sky Sports News.

“We try to marginalize it as well. Talking about race, everyone thinks it only happens to black players, but it doesn’t. It happens to different people, it happens to women in the workplace, it’s all different things.

“But as much as we try to separate the burden and the small things, then we never actually solve the cause. That’s why we feel so strong because if we come together and make the same voice now more people are involved, more eyes and ears about this and also different ethnicities are registered.

“We [Deeney and Etheridge] people have said about it, but the football culture at the moment, or not at the moment, since maybe the 70s, has been one of ‘The Purge’.

“You come to the football field, all the social rules are out the window, we can say what we want, we can do what we want because it happens in football.

“But then you turn it around and the responsibility of footballers is now to be a role model, to help charity, to be the best, and in that way, to do it in an environment where no one else should act. With whatever consequences for you or your family .

Deeney reiterated the issue of marginalization while also discussing online abuse, believing that many think racial discrimination only happens on social media platforms, rather than in the stands.

He added: “Since the situation of George Floyd and the amount of online abuse on the three boys from England at the Euros. [Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were racially abused online after missing penalties in the Euro 2020 final]we all seem to think it’s online abuse these days.

“We have marginalized it again – it just happened there so this player just has to turn off the news. It is always an individual who has to do something, not someone or people who have decided that they will be violent or whatever. .

“Again, where is the responsibility of others? Apparently, footballers are all overpaid or uneducated and ridiculous role models? Our children should not see footballers.

“On the other hand, we have to be role models and we have to take a higher moral point of view and people who are immature, uneducated or impure are sometimes not good because that person works normally and that person is more relatable. It is a retreat and a mentality in this country needs to change.”

Etheridge – who is British Filipino – also wants to shine a light on racism to a wide ethnic spectrum.

He added: “We are at that stage now [reporting racism in football] it’s a long process. It’s not easy to just end a football game.

“My situation is played by the rulebook, and what’s more frustrating for me is how many times we can talk or it will be brushed under the rug. It’s serious about this topic.

“When Troy and I talked, he’s done a lot for black and mixed-race players. He said ‘how many times has that happened to Asian players or half-Asian players?’. I don’t even remember the last time. If it’s happened, it’s not new. , but now educates people about all kinds of racism, not just specific issues.”

‘We need guidelines on racism and keep them in place’

Deeney and Etheridge both called for better rules and guidelines on racism in football, and their proper implementation. He believed that if someone was punished for doing it, it might deter others.

Etheridge said: “If people know the penalty, you know what to take yourself, but if you want to say something and roll the dice, you can get away from it. around the stadium part and the fan base part.

“The next person can do it until there’s something in the rule book written about ‘this is what’s going to happen’, then people know exactly what the punishment is going to be if they do it and get caught doing it. it goes down massively.”

Deeney also pointed to recent incidents involving fans on the pitch, which despite hefty fines, are often not enforced. He described the current guidelines on racism as ‘wishy washy’.

“We are very reactive in football, it is a joke. In many other fields, we are proactive, we go forward, we push and that is why we are so happy,” he said.

“But why do we always have to approach the worst case? We have been here in Birmingham where a fan ran on the pitch and hit Jack Grealish. Everyone said ‘that’s the worst that could happen’. What has really changed is stopping people take it on the football field.

“We’re not saying it’s easy to fix, but what can we do? We had a spate last year with the number of people entering the field. People said ‘it’s bad, we can’t have people. on the field’. But nothing has changed -change to stop. So, if you are a fan and you will do it, what will happen? There is no answer.

“You see on the side of the turnstiles, if you encroach on the pitch, it will be a fine of £5,000. How many people have been fined £5,000 have we heard? What I am saying is to ask for rules, ask for guidelines, stick to it.

“We live in a world where there is an energy crisis and the cost of living has gone through the roof. You have to fine one person just for something like that and I guarantee you there will be 20 people who hear about it. can’t afford it’.

“So it’s a deterrent, but there’s no ban on racists online, no ban on racists in stadiums and no ban on racists on football pitches.

“It’s all ‘go to the referee, report it and we’ll find out later’. It’s all wishy-washy and there’s no clear guidelines on what to do if you decide to roll the dice.”

Etheridge also concluded that his recent experience of racism on the football field had led him to push for more severe punishment.

“I wouldn’t do anything different. I’m going to stay the same as what I’m doing, but it may prove that the more disruptions we have to do and the more punishments, the more severe punishments we have to do in this situation.

“You have to put it in black and white – this is what happens when you know racial abuse happens to any player. And in the end, what will happen is that the players will rally together, even harder, even stronger. It happens less, like you understand.”

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