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Sun 12 Mar 2006

UEFA joke not getting any funnier as they ignore the bigger issues

JIM DUFFY

UEFA would infuriate me if they weren't so laughable. There they are getting all high and mighty about some "discriminatory chants" allegedly made by Rangers supporters yet when they have the opportunity to tackle the bigger problem of racism in the likes of Spain, they hand out a derisory fine that couldn't even be construed as a slap on the wrists.

Now, I haven't seen the dossier allegedly compiled by UEFA highlighting the perceived injustices but I'm guessing there wasn't a player so reviled by whatever the fans were singing that they wanted to leave the field, as Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o tried to do as a result of racist abuse in a recent match against Real Zaragoza. The fact his team-mates said they would have followed him off the pitch underlines how bad that issue is getting there.

In 2004, soccer's anti-violence committee announced a series of measures, including five-year stadium bans and fines of up to €60,000 against fans guilty of racist behaviour, while Spain's secretary of state for sport, Jaime Lissavetzky, got the federation, clubs and players' unions to sign a grand-sounding Protocol Against Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Soccer.

Yet, instead of banning the fans or dishing out the kind of punishment that would force Real Zaragoza to get their own house in order, the club was fined €9,000 and the Spanish authorities still refuse to accept that racism is a major problem in their game.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to make light of bigotry or pretend that sectarian behaviour is acceptable in civilised society, but look around Europe at all the other problems - the fact Atletico Bilbao will only sign Basque players is surely discriminatory against everyone else, or what about clubs in the former Yugoslavia, where racism and bigotry is part and parcel of their signing practice?

At least Rangers are trying to address the problems posed by a section of their support. David Murray has done so much to try to break down religious barriers. He allowed Graeme Souness to sign Mo Johnston and has launched a number of initiatives and made public his disdain of bigoted behaviour. There is no sectarian signing policy and fans have been banned by the club for behaviour that was deemed unacceptable.

I remember the days when the intros to certain songs were played over the loudspeakers at Ibrox and then turned down to let the fans sing the rest. That doesn't happen any longer. Rangers have done so much to combat the problem and while more must be done, UEFA don't need to stick their noses in. David Murray is determined and more than capable of seeing this thing through himself.

It's the equivalent of police hounding a guy on probation for nicking sweeties instead of going out and catching the murderers. If everything else in the garden was rosy then, OK, let them clamp down on the clubs with sectarian fans - and Rangers are by no means the only offenders in Europe, let alone Scotland - but it's not, and I for one would prefer to see them tackling the bigger issues before they start flexing muscle over this one.

The other laughable factor in all this is the fact that the behaviour of Rangers fans breaches UEFA's strict Fair Play code of conduct. They have a damn cheek. Watch top level football and there is no such thing as fair play. All that matters is winning and winning at all costs. That's what UEFA need to address.

We see kids walking out hand in hand with the players, there are special flags, t-shirts and players are asked to hold up cards at times, all extolling the merits of fair play but then the match starts and we have players diving all over the place, following the command of managers who tell them to waste time, or get opposition players booked. There are players writhing around in agony yet television replays showed there was absolutely no contact.

Maybe UEFA should sort out the bad boys on the pitch and get their own house in order before they start wielding torches and pitchforks and marching to the doors of clubs who, yes, historically have had a problem with sectarianism and bigotry, but are very publicly trying to tackle the issue and doing a pretty good job of it considering it will take time to wipe out something that has been inherent in our culture, never mind our football, for more than 100 years.

If UEFA want to take action from the Villarreal v Rangers game, then maybe they should be attacking the Spanish side's goalkeeper, whose actions discriminated against any decent football fans and who made a mockery of the Fair Play motto.

As I've said, sectarianism is not something to be condoned but UEFA are setting a dangerous precedent. Because views vary on what is discriminatory.

If UEFA had previously issued a warning stating that a particular chant or song would be liable to punishment and Rangers had been aware of that and the fans had still belted it out then OK, but, as far as I am aware, that's not the case.

If the chants were about the Pope perhaps that discriminates against people who like the Pope (and remember not everyone in this world does, not even every Catholic!) but where does it stop? Virtually all songs could be considered discriminatory to someone (even if it's just the opposition supporters or perhaps a certain player's wife or family). If the Dambusters tune is played at a ground is that discriminating against all Germans? Maybe UEFA should compile a list of tunes and chants which are acceptable - their own Top 40.

As I said, it's a joke. But that's UEFA. Instead of tackling issues like racism, I'm just awaiting the day they make it compulsory to join in the dreaded Mexican Wave.

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