Hamilton: Racism not a joke

Eurosport - Fri, 07 Nov 14:29:00 2008

Lewis Hamilton has put himself at odds with Bernie Ecclestone after the Formula One supremo rejected talk of racism in the sport and said recent controversies were "a joke".

2008 Anthony Hamilton Lewis Hamilton - 0

Ecclestone told BBC radio that incidents in Spain and Brazil, where 23-year-old Hamilton became on Sunday the first black world champion as well as the youngest, had been blown out of proportion.

"In Spain people were supporting [Fernando] Alonso and in Sao Paulo they were supporting Felipe [Massa]," said the 78-year-old. "I don't think it has anything to do with racism.

"There were a few people in Spain ... and that was probably taken at the beginning as a joke rather than anything abusive. People sort of look and read things into things that are not there.

"All of those things are all a bit of a joke. People are entitled to support who they want to support."

Hamilton, appearing at a promotional function for McLaren team sponsor Vodafone, saw it differently.

"I don't particularly look at it as a joke," he said. "It's something that's happened but it's in the past and you've got to look forward. What's most important for me is that I know I have a lot of support, especially from my UK fans.

"I go to all these countries and I do see my fellow-countrymen holding up the flag and it makes me very proud to see that. All the other stuff, you can put it behind you and forget about it."

Hamilton, who beat Ferrari's Brazilian Massa by a single point at Interlagos, was Spaniard Alonso's team mate and title rival at McLaren last season and the Briton has been the target of racial abuse from Spanish fans.

The governing International Automobile Federation launched an anti-racism campaign after blacked-up spectators appeared at a test session in Barcelona in February, while others shouted abuse at the driver.

Another controversy erupted before last weekend's title-deciding race when British newspapers highlighted hundreds of hate messages posted on a Spanish website targeting the Briton.

Hamilton's father Anthony said earlier this week that the racial taunts and abuse had made him doubt whether his son should be competing in the sport.

Reuters

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  1. jbolan wrote "dryassam, you say it the fact man­ walk on the moon. how you know, you there?"

    No, I­ just use intelligence and common sense to know that all­ the evidence proves that man landed on the moon. From­ the moon rocks which were collected and distributed­ throughout the world, to the video footage which even­ Hollywood couldn't recreate or match, to the fact­ that the USSR at the time would have given ANYTHING to­ prove it was fake but could not and did not, to the­ objects they left behind on the moon (the lander bases,­ the flags, even reflectors which are still used today­ to accurately measure the moon's distance with­ lasers) and so on. So no jbolan, I do think outside the­ box, but unlike you, I have a grasp of what the box­ actually is. :) And regarding walking on water,­ that's a religious belief and is therefore a­ completely different issue. That fact that you­ can't tell the difference between the two shows­ exactly why you believe in conspiracy theories. :P
    Ok,­ with that, it's now back to F1....

    From dryassam, on Fri 7 Nov 4:04PM
  2. Racism is what exactly? is it a one way street?

    From not printable, on Fri 7 Nov 3:55PM
  3. Bernie of course it was a joke. No one would dream of­ putting your business in jeapordy would they, only­ about half a million were involved as a minority. So­ old the old fart and deaf he cant see or hear anything­ except the rustling of paper(money)

    From not printable, on Fri 7 Nov 3:53PM
  4. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with booing someone­ you don't support?

    Yeah, it is an unsporting­ behaviour from the fans. That's about all and­ nothing about the racism.

    So, what is wrong with­ Brazil fans booing Hamilton? Nothing wrong. Had it been­ another white driver, I'm sure the same fans will­ boo him as well. So, Bernie is right. Hamilton family­ is making something out of nothing. However, I think­ there is some element of racism in Spain. Again, it­ depends on interpretation.

    Just enjoy being the­ champion for the year and fight for title again next­ year.

    From ferraribeng, on Fri 7 Nov 3:51PM
  5. lewishamilton666. You are a racist. Period. That puts­ you below every human and every animal.

    From Glenn, on Fri 7 Nov 3:37PM
  6. the tarnished title was a generous gift from Massa­ FUEL HOSE PIT LANE clowns
    -?

    From zina222, on Fri 7 Nov 3:34PM
  7. See that stupid little man jbolan is on this forum­ coming out wih the same rubbish he has on every other­ forum all year . Just ignore the mindless racist idiot­ and hopefully he will go away and get a life

    From pdmcosworth, on Fri 7 Nov 3:28PM
  8. Racist are scum , plain and simple . I just hope they­ are choking on the fact that the F1 world champion is­ black and also the new leader of the most powerful­ country at our time is also black ( ok both are mixed­ race but it doesn't seem to matter to these idiots­ , and black , white , brown , mixed etc it­ shouldn't matter . Go by the person not the colour­ of their skin ) . Just so you know i'm a white­ british man who supports ferrari as well as both Massa­ and Hamilton .

    From pdmcosworth, on Fri 7 Nov 3:24PM
  9. how many points did massa have given to him, which he­ did not deserve?????????, he should not have been in­ the close position to challenge lewis in the first­ place. so with all the help he was given by bernie and­ the fia maybe lewis was due a bit of luck. lewis won­ more races so is the better driver this year. no­ wonder england does @#$% in sport generally as every­ time we get a sportsman who is top class, we condem­ them and drive them out of the country. who cares what­ colour he is, he is a our world champion brit.

    From darren j, on Fri 7 Nov 3:21PM
  10. lewis your sick its not monkey blood its the same red­ stuff that passes through your vains now quit it whilst­ you think your ahead or i will be forced to report you­ and the answer to your question neither is better than­ the other cos they both rule in their professions

    From footy mad, on Fri 7 Nov 2:45PM
  11. Was a Ferrari Fan .... never wanted McLaren to win but­ somehow towards the end I felt indifferent to the whole­
    picture. Man is mind made..... Wrong thoughts are not­ welcome in sports.
    Give credit to sportsmanship. Massa­ is a true champion and defeated he will rise­ again!!!!!

    However the rich fans fail to understand­ dignity and think money can buy them everything well it­ may be a lesson for them too.

    Congratulations to­ Hamilton enjoy success and be level headed.....

    From Ravi, on Fri 7 Nov 2:40PM
  12. sport is a symbol of unity amongst nations. if people­ are going to bring in all the ills and vices into­ sport, then its purpose wouuld have been defeated.­ there is no place for racism in sport. We all should be­ considered equal, no matter your race, creed or­ culture. Imagine this: A black man becoming President­ of the US. uninaginable 20 years ago. Today,­ history's been made. Same thing has happened in F1.

    From Gabby, on Fri 7 Nov 2:02PM
  13. Some of the idiots on here need to b ignored, if they­ cant help themselves no one can. Steve J- u talk­ sense(tho i dont believe in jesus) Wearing a monkey­ mask n sayn racist things should NOT b ignored, F1 just­ dont want to acknowledge the problem.
    Falcons1988- I­ can appreciate that white ppl have feelins too but non­ whites have been living with what ur feelin n far worse­ for far longer. Tho slavery is officially over, think­ about the gravity of what it was n remember that just­ bcos laws change doesnt mean ppls mind set has so we­ still face a major battle in life as a direct result of­ slavery. So stop feeln sorry for yourself, white ppl,­ in particular white upperclass males have the largest­ slice of the pie n r the least discriminated against!!­ Nice 1 Lewis, not cos ur black, but cos ur a don­ driver!!!

    From jah2fox, on Fri 7 Nov 9:27AM
  14. the more we give attention to the racist biggots the­ more they'll do it, like the sad bullies at school,­ the more you react to them the more they'll do.­ Ignore them they are just sad. Personaly i don't­ particularly like LH an wanted Massa to win, but fair­ enough LH did the job an begrudgingly i hold my hand up­ to him.

    From david, on Fri 7 Nov 8:38AM
  15. And with that comment, you show yourself to be as­ racist as those you attack Darren S!

    Anyway, it's­ late now in my part of the world, I'm off to­ bed.... ZZZzzzzz.....

    From dryassam, on Fri 7 Nov 8:32AM
  16. Is jbolan a Ferrari SUPPORTER jelousy and racism are­ sad things SEE ITEMS No 135/140 LH beat Alonso fair­ & square in his first year in F1 & beat Massa­ & the Fia stewards (CHE*TS)to win the Title in 2008­ WELL DONE LEWIS PROUD ON YOU

    From robert859, on Fri 7 Nov 8:32AM
  17. jbolan: You can't see your own genatalia for your­ hand wrapped around it - simple translation, you're­ a @#$%. You're "I'm from Peru" thing­ is getting tiresome, I have tried asking nicely for you­ to stop for the sake of everyone, so now all I can say­ is - please just @#$% off.

    From ginger_gitt, on Fri 7 Nov 8:31AM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    F**king white pieces of­ @#$%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Darren S, on Fri 7 Nov 8:27AM
  19. Ah yes, from one conspiracy theory to another. Like I­ said, the ONLY people qualified to question Glock's­ final lap are fellow F1 drivers, and yet no other­ driver sees anything wrong. And yes, men did walk on­ the moon, it's a fact, but as usual there are­ always mindless 'conspiracy theory addicts' who­ can't accept the truth. :)

    From dryassam, on Fri 7 Nov 8:24AM
  20. Sure jbolan, but as you failed to answer the simple­ question of why no F1 driver sees anything wrong or­ strange with Glocks performance in the rain on the last­ lap, but instead you simply repeated the conspiracy­ theory, then that shows you have no answer. Seems you­ love the taste of sour grapes. ;)

    From dryassam, on Fri 7 Nov 8:12AM
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