Many sports fans seem to think that it is okay for them to say or shout abuse at sporting fixtures simply because they have paid the entrance fee at the turnstiles. Indeed, it is worrying that the abusers can get away with shouting obscenities without fear of being punished.
One particularly sickening outburst this past weekend concerned the alleged abuse of the Newcastle United manager Glenn Roeder during a game at Arsenals Emirates stadium. That some Arsenal supporters seemed to think that it was perfectly acceptable to call the Newcastle boss “Tumour Boy” is proof positive that there are no depths too low for people to stoop.
Glen Roeder almost died as the result of a brain tumour, a couple of years ago, and no doubt it was a particularly traumatic and worrying time for the then young West Ham boss and his family. Thankfully he pulled through but I am sure that they all feel the strain of his illness even to this day. They might still feel that they don’t know the day or the hour when his illness might recur.
That some Gunners fans thought it was amusing and acceptable behaviour is an indictment of the authorities that control football as much it is an indictment of the knuckle draggers who shouted the abuse in the first place. Not enough has been done to snuff out this sort of behaviour. There is still a sickness at the heart of the game. These ignorant and vitriolic football fans are proof positive of that fact.
Throughout the UK footballers and coaching staff are forced to listen to racial and sectarian abuse on a weekly basis. Things certainly have improved since the low points of the 1970’s and 80’s but the men at the FA’s Lancaster Gate headquarters must not become complacent.
There are laws in this country that are designed to protect people from the sort of abuse suffered every weekend by players and managers at football matches. The man or woman in the street would not expect or indeed accept being abused on their way to work or in their office.
The perpetrators of this latest incident must be tracked down and prosecuted and imprisoned, as an example to other would be abusers. There must be a zero tolerance approach taken when dealing with these morons. Otherwise the abuse will continue forever.
About this team
This article was written by Ella Parry-Davies, 17, from our London newsroom. It was published on the Reach for the Sky website.
