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Anti-racism chief disappointed with Liverpool

FARE’s Piara Powar criticises Liverpool for publicly backing Luis Suarez
Written by Siobhan McCall
09/01/2012 06:11 PM

DISCONCERTED: Powar

THE HEAD of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) has criticised Liverpool FC for setting a bad example to their supporters in the wake of the Luis Suarez affair.

The striker was banned for eight games after being found guilty by a Football Association-appointed commission of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek on Sunday (Jan 8); Piara Powar stated that the club’s reaction had whipped up a ‘tribal fervour’ at Anfield.

“If you look at how Liverpool resort to defend what they see as an injustice, look at the way their fans have been whipped up into a tribal fervour,” said Powar.

“The environment at Anfield is so driven – in terms of the paranoia that some fans feel – [by] expressions of injustice from Liverpool, especially over the last few weeks. There is a wider issue here of the way Liverpool have dealt with this and it has disconcerted many observers. It is a constant undermining of the FA's role as the governing body in football.”

Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi was the victim of alleged racial abuse by a member of the crowd during Friday’s (Jan 6) FA Cup match at Anfield and a 20-year-old man from Aintree was arrested and bailed by police in connection with the incident. Liverpool have since released a statement in which they apologised to Adeyemi for the distress caused and the club have outlined their determination to ensure the incident is investigated and dealt with properly.

Meanwhile Charlton manager Chris Powell, one of only two black managers in the Football League, believes that education is necessary to overcome the racial storm that has engulfed English football over recent months.

Powell added: “People come from all over the world to play in our country and other countries and there's still a lot of education needed and ignorance to deal with. Hopefully now these incidents will show everyone that we still need to keep it at the forefront and we keep educating everyone, not only in our country but around the world."

Posted on: 09/01/2012 06:11 PM

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Comments

LFC showed no class at all

Payback's picture
Payback

LFC showed no class at all regarding this matter,grown men say all manner of things while playing sport,it is a part of sport no matter what anyone says. I mean Jade Goody used the word popperdom and she was made to go to India to say sorry,now as black people we do not expect LFC and LS to travel to any part of Africa to say sorry any time soon,but a trip down to Stockwell Manor would'nt go a miss...

Wed, 2012-01-11 17:45

I now that I am off the mark

Payback's picture
Payback

I now that I am off the mark a little bit,and I understand that racisum has to be delt with,however place an Indian/Asian man as head of the anti racisum/fair play etc in Europe,when without out sounding as if I have any isuses with the gentleman,one would thing that an ex play pro-footballer would be far more suitable for the position as he would have personal knowlege of what he had already been through,and a person that other black footballers could relate to,Asians as a whole do not through no fault of thier own play that much pro football in the EU,so an ex player like Paul Elliott might have suited the rule a little bite more...

Wed, 2012-01-11 17:39

I think the FA and livetpool

Bren's picture
Bren

I think the FA and livetpool Fc both handled this very badly. With more understanding and cooperation a unified front against racism could have been presented and the current tension avoided. It's time egos were set aside for the greater good.

Mon, 2012-01-09 18:41