Football: Euro 2020 and Racial Abuse!
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
Following the missed penalties in the Euro 2020 final on 11 July 2021 by the three England players, Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, all of whom are black, they almost immediately suffered racial abuse on social media.
Such abuse has been condemned, in no uncertain terms, by Prince William, the President of the English Football Association, and the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
Prince William stated:
“I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players ……”
And added:
“It is totally unacceptable …… and must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable.”
Boris Johnson stated:
“Shame on you…… [and] …… I hope you will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged.”
Also, a mural of Marcus Rashford in Withington, Manchester, was defaced and hundreds of messages of support have been left.
Rashford said that he apologised for missing the penalty, but he “would not apologise for who I am!”
In another development, the England player, Tyrone Mings, has accused, in a tweet, the UK Home Secretary (Interior Minister), Priti Patel, of claiming to be disgusted by racist abuse, after previously describing ‘taking the knee’ at football matches as “gesture politics.”
He added that she had “stoked the fire” by declining to criticise fans who booed the England team for ‘taking the knee’.
All this racial hatred against black footballers has got to stop!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
