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Yesterday there was another blow of racism in Norwegian football. A guard at the Sandefjord stadium shouted racists at Vålerenga player Ousmane Camara. This happened in VIF’s 3-0 win over Sandefjord.
It only happens one round after Kristiansund’s Amahl Pellegrino received similar calls against him in a match against Aalesund. It also happens in the same round in which Norwegian football has put an additional focus on fighting racism by wearing red armbands.
– I myself did not understand the situation, but I have been told that there have been racist calls against Camara. It is incomprehensible that this is happening. We cannot protect ourselves from what people say, but prevent them from coming back here. I just think it’s sad and hopeless. It has happened, so it is up to us to get the person out of this arena, Sandefjord general manager Espen Bugge Pettersen told Eurosport after the match.
– Is there a guard here who won’t come back in? asked the Eurosport reporter.
– At least not in my life at the club, and not after, Pettersen said.
– Solid mood cushion
Vålerenga captain Jonatan Tollås Nation was unaware of the incident when it happened, but says his teammates Aron Dønnum and Johan Lædre Bjørdal caught the guard’s racist comments.
– It’s sad to see that people have it. It shows that we have a job to do and that the campaign against racism is important, Tollås Nation tells Dagbladet.
Warning to Rosenborg
Geir Vik, general manager of Aalesund, called last week for a common framework for clubs experiencing racism in the stadium. They had an onlooker make racist comments against Pellegrino. In Sandefjord, a guard did.
– Yes, clearly it is needed. We have hardly been involved in something like this and we don’t know how to deal with it. But I think it is important to have common rules and not depend on each individual club, so that we have clear guidelines, believes Tollås Nation.
In the case of Aalesund, the spectator was banned from the stadium, which is valid until 2021. Sandefjord and Bugge Pettersen have indicated that the guard will be suspended for life.
Disappointed NFF President
Terje Svendsen, president of the Norwegian Football Association, reacts to the fact that this case is happening at the same time that a new campaign against racism has started.
– It’s very disappointing that it happens. We recently had a case with Pellegrino that created a new connection to the issue and the campaigns we have, Svendsen tells Dagbladet.
He points out that this is a battle they have had to fight all these years and that it is still a job to do.
– For us, the fight against racism is very important, even if it is not new to us. It’s boring when situations arise like in the Elite Series. Sometimes we have promotions and brands in addition to the regular shows. Now, for example, we have the Stop campaign as an additional reminder, says Svendsen.
– Can we expect new movements from the NFF?
– We haven’t discussed it yet. The most important thing is that the spectators and the clubs take it seriously. Then we will see what comes out of the discussion in the selection for the Stop campaign.
– they were cursed
Freddy dos Santos is the man leading the Stop campaign that has just been introduced into Norwegian football. He is surprised that this happens in the same round the campaign began.
– It was an incredibly sad affair, similar to what happened two weeks ago. When it happens in the middle of a celebration where football meets racism and the values we want to live by, it is surprising and shocking.
Privileged life: this is how Norwegian scouts work
It says that in no way should they give up the fight against racism.
– It establishes that the work we do is important. Of course, we should have been without the situations with Ousmane Camara and Amahl Pellegrino who get these things thrown at. Neither they nor the clubs deserve it, he says.
He says that they are now working towards a common framework for the clubs so that racism can be addressed in the same way.
– It was requested by Aalesund, because they have nothing to rely on. We hope to make this clear in the future, Dos Santos says.
Dag-Eilev Fagermo talks about a backlash on the bench by Aron Dønnum and Johan Lædre Bjørdal.
– Eventually I understood what it was, and then I take pride in how Johan and Aron took over, where they were cursed by the screams that had come. They got so mad they left the stadium, Fagermo tells Dagbladet.
Fagermo says Camara is fine.
– Understand that this is an action of an individual and that it is not an attitude that Norwegian society has, says Fagermo.
– becomes too passive
At the beginning of the summer, the Minister of Culture and Gender Equality, Abid Raja, established a committee charged with analyzing the challenges related to racism in sport. Marco Elsafadi led the group and believes that Sunday’s event is just another example that the Norwegian Sports Confederation has to do more in the fight against racism.
On October 1, Sports President Berit Kjøll released a guide to address racism and discrimination in sports. Elsafadi now calls for clear regulations.
I wanted to be a soccer player
– This is one more confirmation that it is a case that must have a NIF. They can’t just defend the attitude they had a week ago. He’s getting too passive. NIF must take greater responsibility for a problem that we see still exists, Elsafadi tells Dagbladet.
His committee identified five specific challenges for dealing with racism in sport. They are as follows:
- Need for alert channel
- Active recruitment of minorities in all stages of sport.
- Work / campaign attitude
- Regulations / communication / guidelines for handling
- Knowledge needs
Now Elsafadi believes that it is necessary to wait for NIF to take responsibility and facilitate the work of the clubs.
– It is shameful to think that these are adults, but unfortunately this is a very clear proof of how big this problem is. So we need a set of rules where the club and first-hand witnesses know how to deal with this, says Elsafadi.
Lies flat
The perpetrator behind the racist screams, a man in his 40s, lies in front of Sandefjords Blad.
– It just came out of me. It just fell off. It was very stupid of me to say so, he says.
– We are all human beings, regardless of skin color. I am sad and sorry for what happened. I didn’t think about the consequences and turned around. I’m sorry and I’m going to bed, he says.
