RAHEEM STERLING SAYS it is time for society to “grow up” and stamp out racism amid the ongoing abuse directed at players.
There have been a number of incidents of players being subjected to racial abuse in recent weeks, with the likes of Sterling and England team-mate Marcus Rashford being targeted on social media, while Inter striker Romelu Lukaku was the victim of Cagliari fans during a Serie A game.
Although the incidents have been condemned by many figures in football, a group of Inter fans reacted to the Lukaku incident by defending Cagliari supporters from charges of racism, insisting it is not a “real problem” in Italy and urging the Belgian striker to take it as a sign of respect.
Several players have spoken out in the wake of recent attacks, as Rashford said he believes the fight against racism is “going backwards”, while the likes of Manchester United team-mate Chris Smalling, Watford striker Troy Deeney and Juventus midfielder Blaise Matuidi have all called for it to end.
And England winger Sterling is shocked that the issue continues to affect the game and urged fans to treat footballers as human beings.
“It’s easy to say what happens next but there’s a lot of people behind a computer screen,” the 24-year-old Manchester City star told Sky Sports.
“Those are the ones that are disappointing and feel they can get away with stuff like this.
“We are in 2019 and we’re still talking about this. I can’t say I have the answer to stop it but as a society we need to nail down on this.
“The people doing it need to wake up and understand it’s a new era and discrimination is not something anybody should face.
“We need to grow up as a society and realise we’re only out here doing our jobs. We are human beings and we have feelings.
“It’s a touchy subject but I can’t tell you I’ve got the exact answer. But as a society we need to do better and appreciate each other more.”
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He gets abused by a tiny minority of social media accounts and all of us need to grow up….grow a set u tosser
@Derek Durkin: I know – we all have a good understanding of what it’s like to be a black man. Black people shouldn’t talk about racism, if they do they have no testicles and are a woman. Good point
@Derek Durkin: says the guy that literally just used a social media account to abuse him. Not difficult to see why it’s him you’re mad at.
@Derek Durkin: also did you not see what he said last year about the way he’s treated by the media? It’s not a tiny minority, it’s much bigger than that
@Derek Durkin: Head back to bed Derek mate
@JarvisOFlaherterahry: on que the virtue signalling narcissists respond
@Derek Durkin: Grow a brain, you absolute tosser
@Derek Durkin: it’s hilarious how proud you are to be part of that tiny minority you refer to.
@Derek Durkin: y
@Derek Durkin: y
@Derek Durkin: you are a racist. You can find similar people online who also say things like ‘virtue signalling’, and that will make you feel justified and that you’re more intelligent than other people, but you are still a racist. If you weren’t born in Ireland you’d probably be making Irishman jokes. You’re just so edgy and different
@Derek Durkin: is there a starter pack I can get somewhere? What are the edgy sites that tell it like it REALLY is? 4Chan? Paul Joseph Watson’s twitter account? Infowars? I really want someone to tell me how it really is and allow me to release all this frustration I have. It’s the black people and the immigrants who have stopped me being happy I just know it where can I find someone who tells it like it really is
Only way it will stamped out is when black players and their team mates walk off and the offending team gets docked points. Wearing pretty armbands and teeshirts is just playing lip service.
Racism in general is practiced by undereducated people with a fairly low IQ.and will never be eradicated .however when you have dish rag tabloids Hankerings after an imperial past and blaming immigrants for the decline of the empire then you will have gullible little idiots making racist chants and somehow thinking it makes them superior.Laughable really.but,not amusing to the recipients of such treatment
Just play the game dick head!!
Time for players to walk off in solidarity. Once games start getting cancelled the authorities will have to do more then just pay lip service.
Not sure what you do about social media, log off permanently?