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FFirst of all, from a personal point of view as a black person, as well as a member of the FA Inclusion Advisory Council, it is very disappointing to find myself in a position where I have to discuss this lazy rhetoric that we hear all too often. repeated and explain why it is so harmful. Racism, sexism, homophobia or any form of discrimination, regardless of how direct, indirect, maliciously intended or not, may cause a level of trauma to those who receive it, and the choice of words plays an important role in that.
What makes this particular situation quite distressing for me is that Greg Clarke, the FA president who resigned Tuesday after, among other things, using the term “footballers of color” during a select committee hearing, has I’ve been in a position that has directly impacted the effect I can have in this area of the game.
I, like many others in this space, am committed to helping make the game exactly what it should be – a safe and comfortable place for anyone to enjoy. With that commitment we have to maintain ourselves and those around us with the necessary standards, to allow that environment to be created and maintained.
I don’t know Clarke personally, so I don’t know whether or not there was malice or harmful intent behind her words, but despite everything, it is still a huge problem that we face. As we’ve seen in recent years, he and many others have found it completely normal to use language that should only be considered unacceptable and inappropriate.
One of the hardest things for me and others who come from minority demographics is that in modern society we often find ourselves placed in a box that not only limits how people view us, but can also have the ability to limit the way we see ourselves.
Language plays a huge role in that, from the tone of voice and the gestures you may decide to use, to specific words and phrases you can use to address someone. Each of these has the power to affect a narrative, and where we currently find ourselves in society, and that power is often delivered in a way that pushes people into the box that gave them their label.
Particularly in a sport as globally known and diverse as soccer, one would think that this is not the case, but unfortunately this is a path that we travel so frequently. Whether it’s through social media, terraces, newspapers, or when Clarke, who also said “if you go to the IT department at the FA, there are many more South Asians than Afro-Caribbean people. They have different professional interests. “
In an article published by The Guardian in June this year, a groundbreaking RunRepeat study shed light on the significant issue related to racial prejudice in English football commentary. The studies yielded some alarming data, such as the fact that 63.33% of commenters’ criticisms of a player’s intelligence are directed at darker skinned people. There were 1,361 comments on lighter-skinned players and 713 on darker-skinned players, and the study found that the former group was most praised for their intelligence (62.60%), hard work (60.40%), and quality ( 62.79%).
This shows a clear indication that we must and frankly must do better. Our lack of black coaches, women in leadership roles, and even a single openly gay male professional can be attributed to many things, but part of which will come down to the fact that these are people constantly being pigeonholed and told they can’t be. nothing beyond the labels they have been given.
In my opinion, this shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to just call Clarke for his comments, reprimand him for them and be happy that he resigned, and then carry on as normal. If that is allowed to be the case, then we will stay in the same place and continually review this situation over and over again.
This needs to be seen, as much of 2020 holds, one more chance for us to tackle something, understand its effects, and really understand why it needs to change. Only then will we find a way to do better. Again, it’s another wake-up call that shows us where we really are and how much more we have to go. I just hope that we choose a better path than the one we have had previously.
Marvin Sordell played for Watford, Bolton and Burnley among other clubs in a 10-year professional career and is a member of the FA Inclusion Advisory Board
