Raheem Sterling and English football's problem with racism | OneFootball

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Dan Burke·10 December 2018

Raheem Sterling and English football's problem with racism

Article image:Raheem Sterling and English football's problem with racism

Last weekend, Arsenal’s Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a banana skin thrown at him by a Tottenham Hotspur supporter after scoring in the North London derby.

After that, several incidents of homophobic chanting were reported to the police during the match between Brighton and Crystal Palace.


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And then there was the incident at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

Midway through the first half of Chelsea’s clash with Manchester City, Raheem Sterling went to retrieve the ball from behind the goal and was subjected to a torrent of vitriolic abuse from a number of home supporters.

It is reported that at least one of the perpetrators had screamed a disgusting racist epithet in Sterling’s face and according to various reports, the City winger later confirmed those suspicions to the police.

Sterling celebrated his 24th birthday on Saturday and nobody could have blamed him had he retaliated to his abuser’s vile words with a violent action, much like Eric Cantona infamously did at Selhurst Park when Sterling was still a baby.

Instead, the following day, the England international released an impassioned statement via his official Instagram account which gave an insight into what was going through his mind in that horrible moment.

“Regarding what was said at the Chelsea game, as you can see by my reaction I just had to laugh because I don’t expect no better,” he wrote.

He wasn’t lying.

The photos show an expression on Sterling’s face which seems to be a mixture of disbelief, bewilderment and something approaching pity for the middle-aged men spitting bile at him from mere feet away.

Article image:Raheem Sterling and English football's problem with racism

But Sterling and victims of racism shouldn’t have to grin and bear it any longer. Something has to change. This has to be a turning point.

Of course, Sterling isn’t the first footballer to suffer this kind of abuse, and he’s unlikely to be the last, but the treatment the England international has received from the media over the last few years has been something quite unique.

The way certain language and headlines can help to “fuel racism” was the focus of Sterling’s Instagram post and it was remarkable how he chose two different depictions of two very similar stories about two of his City team-mates – one white, one black – buying their mother a house to illustrate his point.

Remarkable because he could quite easily have chosen from a depressingly long list of similar articles which have been written about him during his relatively short time in the public eye.

Like this one …

Or this one …

Or this one …

Because Sterling is a rich and successful footballer, it seems he is fair game to certain sections of the media who have created an alternate universe in which he is a flashy, soulless example of everything that is wrong with the modern game.

This character assassination has been going on since he first broke through as a teenager at Liverpool and has intensified since he left Anfield for Manchester.

Remember when he was still only 17 and there were stories doing the rounds about him having three children to two different women?

It might surprise you to learn that those allegations were complete and utter nonsense.

It’s one of many misconceptions about Sterling that the media has been happy to perpetuate over the years but if you’re prepared to dig a little deeper, you’ll learn that in reality he’s a humble, philanthropic, devoted family man with a profound dedication to his profession.

He’s a clever lad too and, as is becoming increasingly inarguable with each passing week, an incredibly talented footballer. Of course he’s not perfect, but who is?

Not all of the bullying Raheem has been subjected to by the press is racist but it’s still bullying and we’re long overdue a re-evaluation of what is and what isn’t acceptable behaviour from an industry which has so much power and influence over its consumers.

It may feel like racism has made an unwelcome return to English football in recent days but the truth is, it never really went away.

The problem is that in the current political climate, racists are no longer as afraid or ashamed to express themselves as they perhaps once were.

Whether you’re a journalist or just a football fan, we all have a responsibility to banish this ugly behaviour and we could all do a little more to help.

It’s been heartening to see the groundswell of support Sterling has received in the press and on social media since Saturday’s incident, but we can’t just forget about this and move on.

We have to keep fighting.

Because as Sterling put it himself on Instagram: “This is unacceptable.”