Euro 2012 was plunged into its first racism controversy after the black players in the Holland squad were subjected to monkey chants during an open practice session in the same city where England will also invite the public to watch them train on Friday.
Several hundred people targeted players such as Nigel de Jong and Gregory van der Wiel when 25,000 spectators attended the Dutch practice session at the Stadion Miejski, the home of Wisla Krakow.
The players, on the instructions of the captain, Mark van Bommel, responded by moving their training drills to the other side of the ground. "It is a real disgrace especially after getting back from Auschwitz [the Dutch squad had visited the concentration camp on Wednesday] that you are confronted with this," Van Bommel said. "We will take it up with Uefa and if it happens at a match we will talk to the referee and ask him to take us off the field."
The problems occurred as the players began the session by jogging a lap of the pitch only to be greeted at one end of the stadium with monkey noises and loud jeers. On the second circuit, they were even louder and it was then the players decided not to go around again. "At least now we know what we can encounter," the Holland coach, Bert van Marwijk, said with heavy cynicism. "Very atmospheric."
Uefa subsequently tried to deny that it was racially motivated, saying they had checked with the Dutch squad and had been told it was not thought to be of that nature. Instead, the official line is that a small part of the crowd was protesting about the fact that Krakow had not been made one of the host cities. Another theory that has been put forward is that Wisla's supporters did not want their stadium being used by anyone but their own club and were simply booing the Dutch players.
Van Bommel, however, responded angrily when it was put to him not everyone had heard monkey noises. "You need to open your ears," he said. "If you did hear it, and don't want to hear it, that is even worse."
Privately, the midfielder is understood to be unhappy that the authorities are not treating the issue more seriously, but the incident is still threatening to be a major embarrassment for Uefa, coming before a ball has even been kicked, and will increase the scrutiny on Poland's supporters when the tournament opens with the co-hosts playing Greece in Warsaw on Friday.
I don't rate players walking off the pitch because of racist abuse, i don't care what the fans say, as a footballer you are paid handsomely to go out there and perform despite whatever abuse you may receive, i doubt anything they say can be worse than some of the chants fans across the country chant anyways.
Journalist Marcel van der Kraan, who writes for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, said he heard the racist abuse.
He told BBC Radio 5 live: "As the Dutch players did their warm-up, during the first lap of the pitch they could hear monkey noises from one end of the crowd.
"When the players heard this they said they would do another lap and if they heard monkey noises again they would stop.
"The Dutch coach moved all the cones and started training on the pitch as far away from these people as possible.
"It was considerably more than two or three people. The Dutch media could hear it as well."
Fuck England tbh, got told today that Theo Walcott & Alex Oxlade are not British because "if you look at their ancestry (1 black parent) they are not from here."
Nonsense, so if you get paid X amount of money its okay to endure constant racist chants.
Dont make racism so trivia by going on saying "well they get paid handsomely, so meh"
If you dont make a stand it will never be talked about, let alone attempted to be resoloved.
IMO was good Balo said what he said, least they have UEFA thinking now instead of not even addressing the issues.
So players might as well walk off any time there abused then?
There are some things fans say that are far more personal than calling a player a monkey, i mean Billy Sharpe was mocked for his son unfourtunately dying, and he still never walked off, that is far more offensive than calling someone a nigger. If people start walking off the pitch because of racist ause, then whats stopping them for doing the same everytime fans make up chants about their personal lives?
f*ck England tbh, got told today that Theo Walcott & Alex Oxlade are not British because "if you look at their ancestry (1 black parent) they are not from here."
f*ck this, will not support England at all.
Don't know why you feel so aggrieved about that comment.
f*ck England tbh, got told today that Theo Walcott & Alex Oxlade are not British because "if you look at their ancestry (1 black parent) they are not from here."
f*ck this, will not support England at all.
Don't know why you feel so aggrieved about that comment.
f*ck England tbh, got told today that Theo Walcott & Alex Oxlade are not British because "if you look at their ancestry (1 black parent) they are not from here."
f*ck this, will not support England at all.
just like you've already been told, i duno why this bothered you so much all of a sudden,
unless you've lived under a rock all your life you were surely aware that this is how all ethnics are viewed, no matter how little Ethnicity you may have,
lol at standing there supporting the English natioal team and singing rule Brittania anyway, any ethnic minority that does this is lost, and i've seen it done,
Exactly, you're only English when it helps them. And even so they will always tru to tell yOu that without their country giving you the opportunity you'd be nothing.
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he clearly didnt read it
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Rsonist
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Guest M12
it starts
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O Fenomeno
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BSOM
I don't rate players walking off the pitch because of racist abuse, i don't care what the fans say, as a footballer you are paid handsomely to go out there and perform despite whatever abuse you may receive, i doubt anything they say can be worse than some of the chants fans across the country chant anyways.
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Mr. Gayle
Nonsense, so if you get paid X amount of money its okay to endure constant racist chants.
Dont make racism so trivia by going on saying "well they get paid handsomely, so meh"
If you dont make a stand it will never be talked about, let alone attempted to be resoloved.
IMO was good Balo said what he said, least they have UEFA thinking now instead of not even addressing the issues.
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Mame Biram Diouf
f*ck*ng embarrassing
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Rsonist
Racist chanting now officially confirmed by UEFA
http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/18363736
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mark_INIESTA_davies
As Fraff Hunter & Platini would suggest
Just hire a referee at training sessions and ask the players to report to him of any racist activities.
If players walk out of training sessions then book them.
Sounds a right legit plan doesn't it...
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Da Luv Doc
Fuck England tbh, got told today that Theo Walcott & Alex Oxlade are not British because "if you look at their ancestry (1 black parent) they are not from here."
Fuck this, will not support England at all.
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Young £
lol cause training and matches are the same
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mark_INIESTA_davies
Racism is the same though regardless of environment.
If Platini can stop racism through referee's and a yellow card system then fair play to him but he's deluded.
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BSOM
So players might as well walk off any time there abused then?
There are some things fans say that are far more personal than calling a player a monkey, i mean Billy Sharpe was mocked for his son unfourtunately dying, and he still never walked off, that is far more offensive than calling someone a nigger. If people start walking off the pitch because of racist ause, then whats stopping them for doing the same everytime fans make up chants about their personal lives?
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BSOM
Don't know why you feel so aggrieved about that comment.
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Da Luv Doc
Are you serious?
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O Fenomeno
Just seen the Dutch training clip on BBC News
I would of lost it
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mark_INIESTA_davies
Don't worry,
Like Fraff Hunter & Platini a yellow card and a referee can stop and control all racism towards players.
Have faith.
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The Somalian
What's avram grant doing with England ?
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Kompressor
just like you've already been told, i duno why this bothered you so much all of a sudden,
unless you've lived under a rock all your life you were surely aware that this is how all ethnics are viewed, no matter how little Ethnicity you may have,
lol at standing there supporting the English natioal team and singing rule Brittania anyway, any ethnic minority that does this is lost, and i've seen it done,
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Guest M12
Exactly, you're only English when it helps them. And even so they will always tru to tell yOu that without their country giving you the opportunity you'd be nothing.
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O Fenomeno
He is Jewish no?
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