Racism Issues in Football - Essay Example

Racism in Football Racism in Football College: Racism in Football "On 13 May at its Paris meeting, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) PUBLISH ITS 'Unite Against Racism' declaration, in the presence of French international footballer Lilian Thuram. The declarationwas issued ahead of Euro 2008 football tournament. The commission wanted the event to demonstrate a commitment to combating racism and racial discrimination in football." (Ivana 2008). This statement is an evidence of the existence of the problem of racial prejudice in the football game as a whole. Currently, commissions are emerging in protest against racial prejudice in the football leagues. Racism in football has hinderer fair play, mutual respect, fraternity and peace needed for sports activities. Racism in football has caused public incitement to violent acts, hatred, enmity, public insults, dissemination of racist ideas, and symbols. Racism has caused serious violation of human dignity. Racism in the football matches has always found justices at the altar of emotional expression. Racism has made dirty the standards of football game. Let us look at some of the symbols of racism in football. Racism in football has its roots from the society. Racism in the football has manifested itself through public insults and violence that involves physical confrontation. Another very notable level of racial discrimination in the football game is the failure to acknowledge certain football players and other participants in the game, however much high in the game's ladder they climb. For instance, Arthur Wharton, a top professional for English club Preston North End in 1886, though bearing the title of the first Black Football player in an organized football, died poor and no trace of his activities records until recently when an acknowledgement of his activities came in form of a bibliography (Vasili 1997, p. 15). This was a vivid manifestation of racism in football. Football racism rampantly been manifested among the fans during a football match. This comes in form of flags. These are colourful and harmless club flags, but bear a very strong racial discriminatory message. This problem is common among fans supporting Italian, England, German, Holland and Norway football clubs. Other fans through objects at players they consider unworthy playing while the footballer is in the field. Some throw bananas and chant animal noises at black players. This aims at insulting the players that they belong to the bush and they are not different from the monkeys in the bush. Racism builds on skin colour as a physical indictor of ethnic origin. For instance, cases of trafficking young African footballers by the European football clubs is part of this colour based football racism. Racism in the football marches exists at two levels; overt racism and covert or institutionalized racism. Overt racism manifests through unfair treatment directed to migrants and ethnic minority groups with a weak position in a large society. Overt racism manifests in form of abuse to players from a certain race and display of anti-Semitic banners or chants characterized with stereotypic messages related to that particular race. Covert racism manifests in form of choice of players, referees and administrators in most European football clubs. For instance, there are very few members of the minority groups participating at the administration level of football clubs in Australia. Racial prejudice in football has social and psychological perspectives as it manifests itself from the fans' point of view. Racial discrimination in football games has been associated with fans' quest to settle old feuds, personal arguments and land disputes (Rationis 2009). Football hooliganism is associated with television casting of football marches. Football hooliganism relates with 'reclaiming of the football games by the working class.' Proletarianisation of the football game has had a great impact on the violent behaviour of the youth in the fans category of the football game. Extent and the nature of football violence excavate from historical, social, economic, political, and cultural backgrounds. Social class has a significant impact on the fans' behaviour in the football match venue. For instance, religious sectarianism, sub-nationalistic politics and historical regional antagonisms are some of social classifications that cause football hooliganism among the football fans. Concerning the stages of football hooliganism development, violent actions towards referees, such as sporadic violence towards referees and players emerge in football match venues from the fans. A second stage that follows is a physical confrontation between the opposing groups of fans and security officers on guard in the stadium (Rationis 2009). Third stage manifests through increase in violent actions between the opposing fans and security officers outside the stadium. Football hooliganism among fans associates with media coverage. The reports from media reporter on crowds' behaviours rather than the football game, has a significant impact on the behaviour of fans in the football venue and elsewhere. Media sensationalism on the crowds' behaviour at the football games venues, and pre-determination of possible eruption of violent acts in an approaching football match by the media, is contributing greatly to the fan's behaviour at the football match venues and elsewhere (Rationis 2009). Substance consumption among football fans is emerging to be a cause of football hooliganism among the fans. Alcoholism aggravates football hooliganism among football fans. However, very few incidences of football hooliganism associate with alcoholism among fans (Rationis 2009). Theories and researches emerging from the need to identify the problem of football hooliganism have helped to solve the problem. These theories include social identity theory, aggression and frustration theory. These theories explain how hostility emerges among opposing groups. The discussion below explains this psychological evidence. Social identity theory The theory of social identity by Tajfel explains the triggers behind social behaviours in with respect to social groups. He introduces the concept of ethnocentrism. He defined the concept of 'ethnocentrism' as the propensity to evaluate the 'in group' move valuable than the 'out group' (Tajfe 1981, p. 564). Social identity theory explains ethnocentrism as an aspect defining the relationship between group members and the individual's self-concept, and eventually by appealing to the individual's motivation to acquire a positive and socially umpired confidence. The main motivation in the behavioural aspects of people in a group, according to the theory of social identity, is the desire to see one's group to compare favourably with other groups in imperative compliments. This is the reason for the intergroup perceptions of individuals belonging to higher or lower eminence groups. The stability of a group to maintain a fair status in comparison with other groups is a very important mediating variable. This ability to sustain the fair status of a group in the midst of other groups determines the behaviour of the group members in a crowd. in respect to this study, fan will behave in a certain way to demonstrate their emotional affiliation for the status of their group in comparison with other groups. the desire to maintain higher position or attain higher position in a competition or a match will make the fans of a certain football team to behave in a rather uncouth manner during at the beginning of a game, during the game, or after the game is over. In the beginning of a game, the fans will do everything to discourage the other team that is comparing with theirs and up lift the esteem of their group participants, in order to win the match and maintain the group's favourable status, as well as self-esteem of every individual fan (Tajfe 1981, p. 564). The group status defines the behaviour of fans belonging to that particular football club. for instance, the members of a group with lower status will not sit back and watch their selves-esteems receiving the shame. This will motivate them to do something in order to restorer or achieve their self-esteem. The solution to this problem is for the fans to resolve to change the situation affecting the intergroup comparison in a favourable direction. after the individual realises that the group occupies an underprivileged position, he gets the motivation to see his group in an advantaged intergroup comparison. The individual will then actualise the membership relationship by encouraging accentuation of intergroup differences on characteristics associated with group membership. The individual will then re-appraise the characteristics of the intergroup to increase its participation in developing the individual's positive social identity. Re-appraisal may mean recuperating the intergroup comparative position on important comparison facets or improvise new areas of superiority (Tajfe 1981, p. 564). This is an explanatory idea for the hooliganism in football games especially after a game is over. The group of fans, whose team lost the match, will tend to improvise a new area of superiority and the new areas have always emerged as hooliganism. Since the higher status group is superior in playing, then it would beat the lower status group in hooliganism. The hooliganism habits in football aim at revenging. Theory of aggression This theory defines aggression as "any behaviour intended to injure another person psychologically or physically" (Alcock et al. 2001, p. 298). Aggression behaviour dissects into two categories, instrumental and hostile. Hostile-Spectator Aggression manifests through violent acts. The trigger behind the violent acts includes anger, which aims at harming another person on sight, either psychologically, physically, or both. Hostile-spectator aggression manifests through fans fighting or throwing objects at players or the referees and other officials. On the other hand, Instrumental-Spectator Aggression manifests through actions performed with an aim of achieving an objective without necessarily causing harm (Wann et al. 1999). This kind of aggression has characteristics of fans yelling obscene words, statements and or sounds to the players from the opposing team, to degrade the players' self-esteem and boost their favourite team players' chances of winning. Aggression can develop due to the performance of the favourite team outcomes during the game. This change in behaviour links to the emotional arousal during the game. If the progress of the match dictates that the favourable team of a certain group of fans is on the loosing end, the fans depict low-esteem and negative feelings which manifest themselves through hooliganism. Through aggression, the fans feel that they can influence the outcome of the sporting event, and in this case, positively. The presence of the massive crowd in a football stadium is another motivational factor that leads to increase in aggression among fans. Crowd is a large collection of people. The crowd works effectively to trigger increase in aggression among fans because this mass of people is physically close enough to influence each other's behaviour. Game scores influence crowd aggression in the football stadium (Bakker et al 1990). When a fan feels that he or she has not performed as he or she was required in supporting the players of his or her favourite team, he becomes guilty. This triggers feelings of frustrations. As a result, the fan may become aggressive (The Bootle II Group 2002). Most fans single out players of their own team or the opposition because their self-esteem is either lifted or destroyed by the playing tactics of that particular player (The Bootle II Group 2002). This is the reason that makes some players come to the stadium in T-shirts or other clothing bearing the name or a picture of their favorite players. In conclusion, football game should be seen as a social affair in which the players and fans are supposed to interact and have fun besides winning this trophy, cup or title. Recently, there has been notable change in the way fans and players conduct themselves. Football hooliganism is diminishing at a considerable rate. Football game is becoming fun and social event. Thanks to the commissions set to fight the problem. Reference: Ivana, T 2008, 'Declaration by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI) on the occasion of Euro 2008', Dosta, 13 May. Vasili, P 1997, The First Black Footballer, Frank Cass Publisher, USA. Rationis, V, 2009, Theory and research perspectives, Social Issues Research Center, 22 May 2009. The Bootle II Group, 2002, Liverpool's Football Aggression in the 1960's: Psychology or Sport, viewed 23 May 2009, Bakker et al 1990, Fijians in town, University of Michigan, USA. Tajfel, H 1981, The Social dimension, Cambridge University Press, USA. Wann et al. 1999, Fostering intellectual development in young children, University of California, California. Alcock et al 2001, The triumph of socio-biology, Oxford University Press, USA. Read More