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Zenit St Petersburg Fans ..


samag

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Read this in the mainstream Australian press, which only ever discusses the ugly side of football - this is pretty fucking ugly!

 

Watch as UEFA and FIFA offer mealy-mouthed platitudes but take no substantial action...

 

They can't really...do anything here though, right? It's not as if Zenit has a confirmed "No black players" policy that they can point to.

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The club has responded called it stupid and promised to support anti racism campaigns, which is fair enough. If the fans act badly in the stands it obviously needs to be cracked down on but can't completely blame club for these thick twats

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http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/18/zenit-st-petersburg-fans-white-heterosexual

 

After a fans' group wrote an open letter to the club demanding that they refrain from buying black and gay players, the Zenit St Petersburg head coach, Luciano Spalletti, today preached a message of tolerance and acceptance while alluding to the demand as "stupidity".

 

Landscrona, the largest Zenit supporters' club, had released a manifesto on Monday demanding the club field an all-white, heterosexual team. It added that "dark-skinned players are all but forced down Zenit's throat now, which only brings out a negative reaction" and said gay players were "unworthy of our great city".

 

But Zenit's director of sports, Dietmar Beiersdorfer, insisted that "we make our player selections without any limitation regarding origin, religion or skin colour". "Our club's goal is to win the Russian championship and to be highly competitive in international competitions as well," he said. "We have absolutely no policy in Zenit of limiting our player selection in any superficial way."

 

Zenit was the only top-flight Russian team without a black player until this summer, when they signed the Brazilian striker Hulk and Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel for a combined €80m (£65m). The French midfielder Yann M'Vila declined a move to the club in August after receiving death threats.

 

Asked for a personal definition of the world "tolerance", Spalletti answered: "Tolerance for me is most of all the ability to understand and accept differences. Furthermore, being tolerant means that you fight against any kind of stupidity." He also promised that the club would support local initiatives to combat xenophobia and racism.

 

"The club will support such initiatives and use every opportunity to contribute to this work," Spalletti said. "I can personally assure you that I will do everything I can to help those who seek to explain to people what tolerance is, and the need to respect other cultures and traditions. I think that Zenit has proven through its work that the club understands what tolerance is, and what it means to have tolerant behaviour. The team has gathered players from different countries and ethnic groups who work together to achieve a common goal, and work well. Their combined efforts bring tangible results. We've all worked together to achieve important results."

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Read this in the mainstream Australian press, which only ever discusses the ugly side of football - this is pretty fucking ugly!

 

Watch as UEFA and FIFA offer mealy-mouthed platitudes but take no substantial action...

 

They can't really...do anything here though, right? It's not as if Zenit has a confirmed "No black players" policy that they can point to.

 

This letter comes from the official fans club, and as far as I can tell, UEFA could threaten to expel Zenit from European football unless the club condemns the letter (notice that the club has not responded) and/or disendorses the organisation as the official voice of the fans.

 

FIFA has a bigger stick - they could turn around and say the 2018 World Cup can't be played in Russia unless the Russian FA takes action (condemnation, disbanding the fan club).

 

FIFPro could always try and arrange a boycott...

 

Many forms of action are possible, what is lacking is the will to implement them. And, I guess, when you read some of the comments in the OP story, it's not surprising. But it's exactly why we SHOULD be demanding action.

 

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Read this in the mainstream Australian press, which only ever discusses the ugly side of football - this is pretty f***ing ugly!

 

Watch as UEFA and FIFA offer mealy-mouthed platitudes but take no substantial action...

 

They can't really...do anything here though, right? It's not as if Zenit has a confirmed "No black players" policy that they can point to.

 

This letter comes from the official fans club, and as far as I can tell, UEFA could threaten to expel Zenit from European football unless the club condemns the letter (notice that the club has not responded) and/or disendorses the organisation as the official voice of the fans.

 

FIFA has a bigger stick - they could turn around and say the 2018 World Cup can't be played in Russia unless the Russian FA takes action (condemnation, disbanding the fan club).

 

FIFPro could always try and arrange a boycott...

 

Many forms of action are possible, what is lacking is the will to implement them. And, I guess, when you read some of the comments in the OP story, it's not surprising. But it's exactly why we SHOULD be demanding action.

 

fifa will do sod all till other fa's say tyhey won't play there, which they won't should they lose money.
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