The UK’s social and institutional approach to racism in football has usurped headlines and timelines of late.
Last week alone we’ve seen Terry lose his arm band, Capello raise two fingers to the situation, Suarez miss the memo about handshakes and a Manchester United fan banned from football for three years for unacceptable behaviour.
Institutional responses to some of the recent offences feel inconsistent and haphazard because they are. England have been clear about their commitment to stamping out racism, but weren’t clear on how exactly to approach the issues.
Whilst the search is still on for the best approach to this inconvenient issue, England are at least making the effort to keep their social misfits from causing offence beyond UK borders. The Manchester United fan who was fined for racially abusing striker Kenwyne Jones has not only earned himself a three year ban from any football ground in England or Wales, he must also surrender his passport when England play internationals abroad.
Harsh? Maybe. Effective? Hopefully.
Whether or not other countries see the need to address the issue is another blog for another day.
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