Premier League - Reds 'incited racial intolerance'
Liverpool have been accused by equality campaigners of "critically undermining" the fight against racism in football with their support for Luis Suarez and have been urged to apologise to Patrice Evra.
The Uruguay striker was banned for eight games for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during the two sides' Premier League clash at Anfield in October. Though the club decided against an appeal, they have repeatedly made clear their dissatisfaction with the guilty verdict.
Suarez compounded the problem by refusing to shake Evra's hand ahead of the return fixture on February 11, and an open letter from local and national black leaders has called on the club and player to apologise to Evra.
Both Liverpool and Suarez apologised for the handshake incident and Suarez issued a public apology five days after the Football Association released their written judgement on the case, though he has never apologised directly to Evra in a public forum.
The letter, displayed in full on the National Black Police Association (NBPA) website, read: "LFC actions, in vehemently rejecting the findings of the FA inquiry, their public displays of support for a player found guilty of racist abuse and his subsequent refusal to shake the hand of Evra at a recent game is completely unacceptable.
"These actions we believe could be considered as inciting racial intolerance.
"Whilst the subsequent apologies for the failure to engage with the traditions of a pre-game handshake are to be welcomed, there remains deep concern about LFC's absolute refusal to accept the findings of the FA's investigation.
"As such these apologies fail to meet the test of genuine remorse and understanding. This is further negated by LFC's failure to apologise for racism either through the club or Suarez.
"Neither have LFC recognised or acknowledged the consequent damage to race relations resulting from their actions and recognised by many people of all races across the country. As a result efforts to combat racism in football and the wider society in general have been critically undermined."
The open letter is signed by members of the Liverpool Black Leadership Forum, Merseyside TUC, North West United Against Facism, the Society of Black Lawyers and the NBPA, among others.
Gloria Hyatt MBE, of the Liverpool Black Leadership Forum, added: "Liverpool Football Club has presided over the worst incident of racism in football seen in recent years. Their misguided handling of Suárez/Evra has let down all of those in the city who worked hard to challenge racism and make Liverpool a better place to live for everyone."
Lee Jasper, a human rights and race equality campaigner, said: "The club, including the owners, the players and the manager, need to realise the enormous damage caused by their reluctance and obdurate behaviour. Kenny Dalglish used to manage Celtic; he ought to know the importance of stamping out bigotry. The club failed the city, the nation as a whole and in particular Britain's black communities. Their abysmal lack of leadership on this issue has given a green light to racism. They must make urgent repetitions and make a clear and unequivocal apology."
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Magick.... shut up you freak.
murderous apartheid ,200 years of slavery,just two valid reasons why it wont be dropped so easily and two reasons why these scouse lfc fans keep trying to move it on and distract us from the issue with all kinds of sappy soppy excuses !! for gods sake the only way to get closure is a court case and prosecutions at anfield and lfc to clean in house root and branch...merseyside police need to put aside their favoritism toward lfc and do the right thing for once arrest and charge em all now !!!!!
as yet the lfc board and kk and suarez have only given a grudging apology to mufc !! but not the british public which is much much more important !! to show all of the country and all these lfc racist haters,that lfc in no way condone this behavior !! until this happens it will not be settled!! unless of course merseyside police grow a pair and charge the lot of em !!!!!!! to my mind a better option as it will make em think twice next time !!!!
Its headlines like this that keep discrimination and hate alive in this sport and the world in general. I like the way that any negative stories on LFC are kept as the lead story even though its old news and everyone wants to move on. Between Parker and the discrimination Yahoo show towards anyone that is not United has become more and more apparent since the Suarez incident. Media Institutions (no matter how unrespected and accredited) should share non biased opinions and should not employ people who show such obvious discrimination towards other institutions.
This crowd are the biggest ear ache on radio merseyside phone In's.They are on every month I think that's all they are allowed on..They repeat endlessly the same mantra time after time.they jump on every bandwagon they can find..although there is one they are strangely quiet about at the moment..That one is the court case in Liverpool crown court is of 11 ethnics.Who have been grooming 13 & 14 yr olds and using them for sex in Manchester..Now that is RACISM when did you ever here of these scums using children of there own caste in this way..By the way I'm not the same peter as the previous post..Who I agree with 100%.The joy of seeing City winning is the lack of arrogance,when they win,also the lack of S@@t stirring from their manager prior to games unlike the other crowd in Salford..Go city and enjoy it.
deesydave I think you better read your own comment before calling anyone else disgusting.. John Barnes voted by LFC fans 5th greatest player ever for Liverpool... what does that tell you? John Barnes not only a great player.....
REPORT ABUSE YaHOO guilty of inciting racist hate with disgusting headlines like that! .......
COMMENT 681....its ok saying just move on.But the world needs to know that scousers are the most racist abusive self obsessed excuse for fans on the planet......makes you wonder how they afford to get tickets for the matches (they dont win) but thinkin about it its quite simple.....drug dealing benefit fraud mugging the elderly i could go on all night....but whats the point in that or the club....LIVERPOOL THE DRAIN ON WORLD FOOTBALL....by the way what the f.u.c.k are you actually famous for????....oh yes cilla black....stan boardman....lilly savage....not forgetting the smack heads of course ....thanks for that CURTIS (big hello to you all) OH AND NOT FORGETTING SONYA ha ha ha liverpool s.c.u.m
Everyone wanted an apology from LFC and LS. It took a while but it came in the end. Fine payed, ban served, lesson learned... now leave it alone and move on ffs!
boring change the tune please its all past and time to move on. Is having strictly black association groups not racist in itself anyway???!!!!
I'm just waiting for a white player to accuse a black'un of racism. We've had the Ice age, the atomic age now its the black age......give it time it'll pasa. Referees go on strike and show these highly paid donkeys just who is in charge. Now, let's drop all the @#$% about Suarez and get on with it.
I'm just waiting for a white player to accuse a black'un of racism. We've had the Ice age, the atomic age now its the black age......give it time it'll pasa. Referees go on strike and show these highly paid donkeys just who is in charge. Now, let's drop all the @#$% about Suarez and get on with it.
Just think about it if only there was a !
What more to say? Minorities are over-protected as if they are indangered species!
old news, old news, what is yahoo playing at trying to cause problems, John Barnes was right the media have a witch hunt against Suarez (the most entertaining player in the premership). Why O why do we have such a rubbish media in the UK who just love to knock successes.
Hindsight is a wonderful wonderful thing
590.Well said LFC518.. as I said earlier...
Suarez admitted to WHAT he said.... even if he didn't intend it as a racist comment.
He also admitted to not shaking hands with Evra.... this was his big mistake as he had told his club and his manager that there would be no problem. Had he told them he didn't want to shake Evras hand (I could understand that... and though I might not have agreed with it I would have understood his reasons behind it) but then changed his mind. The reaction of Dalglish in the interview spoke volumes. Suarez effed up..... but at least he had the sense to offer an apology for that.
Evra is by no mean innocent... yes he could have let the comment go... but in this day and age would that have been right?? That is highly debatable.
Evra told the tribunal that he didn't believe that Suarez is racist.. nor do I.... just as I don't believe LFC are a racist club.
Evra's reaction at the end of the game... over-celebrating the victory.. was out of order and unnecessary. He and United have said as much.
Ferdinands refusal to shake Suarez's hand was in support of his captain.. not racially motivated. This again can be seen both ways.... personally I can see why he did it, after Suarez refused to acknowledge Evra.... but both sides of the argument hold water.
It is time to move on... neither Scouse Reds or Manc Reds need this to continue... we should get back to the mutual respect with the mutual banter.
It is only the media and the blinkered fans from both ends of the East Lancs Road that are keeping this in the news.
Let's move on.
OK so if a man walks into a police station and claims to have robbed a bank the police cannot prosecute him on his word alone there has to be some evidence,some proof - solid evidence, solid proof - otherwise there is nothing to present to the court - there was no evidence and no proof against Suarez only his own admission - how do we know he didnt just admit it because he was scared- an admission does not make you automatically guilty - but the fa found him 'guilty' without a shred of evidence - he was not found 'guilty' in a court of law it would never have made it to a court .
Would you have shook hands with a man who had just cost you £40000 and 8 match ban - that was not racism - that was pure human nature - the fact he didnt tell KK & LFC that he wasnt going to shake pe hand was his biggest crime in all this - Good Luck
Evra is a baby still.
This is really getting out of hand now. David Cameron holding a cabinet on this. The world is in turmoil, and he priorities this.No wonder this country is full of angry people.
This is really getting out of hand now. David Cameron holding a cabinet on this. The world is in turmoil, and he priorities this.No wonder this country is full of angry people.
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