Action has to be taken over Silva’s tweet but the FA response to racism by fans suggests it has not grasped the big picture
Last Saturday, as the players came out before the home game against Manchester City, Everton’s fans unveiled an enormous flag bearing the face of Moise Kean and the slogan “no al razzismo” – no to racism. On Wednesday the Football Association charged the City midfielder Bernardo Silva with misconduct, relating to a tweet he published comparing a childhood picture of his teammate Benjamin Mendy to the cartoon used as a logo by the Spanish chocolate brand Conguitos. Everton’s banner impressed me as an example of purposeful action that might change behaviour and make racism less prevalent in football; but the FA charge of Silva looks like a token gesture compared with the weak punishments of public racism in other areas of the game.
Silva’s tweet was definitely problematic. The depiction of black people as animalistic or ugly or lesser is not acceptable, and the physical similarity between the Conguitos logo and Mendy is minimal. But at the same time Silva and Mendy are good friends and teammates. When you communicate with friends you let your guard down, you speak with more familiarity, and from time to time you say things that you probably would not say to a stranger.
Written by Eni Aluko
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2019/oct/04/bernardo-silva-charge-racism-football-eni-aluko under the title “Bernardo Silva charge is a token gesture when so much racism is not tackled | Eni Aluko”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
