Claims of racist abuse target players

[AngryAmish]

<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060628/ap_on_sp_so_ne/soc_wcup_fifa_racism_1>

"Claims of racist abuse targeting players at the World Cup emerged hours after FIFA and local organizers promoted the "Say No to Racism" campaign on Wednesday.

France coach Raymond Domenech said black players were taunted as they entered the stadium before their second-round match against Spain at Hanover the previous night.

"When the bus arrives at the stadium, when you hear some fans making monkey chants ... I just turned my head away," Domenech said in Hameln. "I don't even give them the satisfaction of a look."

He declined to say more. Spanish fans whistled and booed during the French national anthem, the "Marseillaise," and several Les Bleus players said that gave them extra incentive to win."

This goes on at the premier event for soccer. It really says a lot about soccer fans.

[mark11727]

1. Not to take anything away from SOCCER itself...

...but what kind of game requires a MOAT AROUND THE PLAYING FIELD to keep the fans away form the players? Yikes.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Don't I remember a fan running on to an American Football pitch

thsi season and grabbing the ball from the quarterback's hand (he came from behind)? It was explained that he overcame the normally unpassable drop from the fan's seats to the field level by jumping on to a parked buggy for carrying injured players, I think. Anyway, this shows that typically stadium sports have some way of keeping the fans off the field.

[pinniped]

2. I forgot which match it was, but someone was waving....

the 13 star Confederate Battle Flag.

Bizarre.

[ikri]

3. It's not all football fans

But Spain and Spanish coach Luis Aragones have some serious problems that haven't been properly dealt with by UEFA or FIFA.

Despite how well the Spanish team played in the tournament very few people are upset that they are out of the competition.

[rpannier]

5. Please...It says very little about soccer fans

It's a minority in the soccer world. Hell...soccer is the most popular sport in 90% of the countries of the world, that includes Asia and Africa.
To equate this minority as typical is the same as saying the stupid, idiotic and racist comments from some fans at a basketball, football or baseball game is typical of fans in those sports.
The behavior of those Spanish fans is not typical of the majority of Spanish fans, nor is it typical of soccer fans around the world.