Racism incident in PSG v Istanbul match

Cheimoon

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You guys realise that even if this is not racist there is still appropriate language you use in a professional environment.

Even if this is not racist it still seems very unprofessional in a multicultural environment.
Exactly.

Calm down, he's not posting in his first language and several posters have politely told him it can be misconstrued and worded better in future.
Although I would suggest it sounds the same or worse in German.
 

Maciej

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"That bloke there".

If they were all black or all white, he would've just pointed him out quite easily without referring to their skin colour.
But they weren't and it was easier to point him saying "the black one".

Do you also accept the fact there is a cultural difference between English speaking countries and Romania?
 

Cassidy

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If you don’t think describing a group of black people as “the blacks” is derogatory, and that it’s worth laughing at me for calling it out, you need to learn a few things about subtle racist language which isn’t acceptable.
“The blacks” reducing them to just their colour for one. Secondly in some places is a fully loaded terms with many racist connotations.
 

Dr. Dwayne

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Not sure what your point is? Where is the comparable situation?

Also, I didn't say saying 'the black guy' as a descriptor is racist, I'm saying I think it's unhelpful and should be avoided. And that using the word 'negru' is not very... strategic, given the connotations of similar words in other languages.
This part right here:

.... I have no idea about the connotations in Romanian, but certainly the close relatives I know (English 'negro', French 'nègre', Dutch 'neger') are not used anymore and would all be seen as condescending, if not insulting.
Just pointing out that the English 'negro' is still used, even by esteemed organizations like the UNCF. In this case, it's certainly not condescending or insulting. And it's certainly comparable as its use is in reference to people.

Now, I'm not familiar with Romanian as a language so I don't know if there are other words they could have used. Maybe he should have said the bald guy instead but I'm having trouble seeing the racism in this. We're again transcribing English meaning onto foreign words because of how they look/sound.
 

GloryHunter07

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He's speaking in Romanian.

He says "ala negru", which means "the black one". There is nothing racist about that.
I disagree, at best its inappropriate and disrespectful.
Well done to Istanbul for walking off. All eyes on Uefa
 

sullydnl

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The state of this thread :lol: these are terribly sensitive issues and conversations about them can do without the righteous indignation, the reactionism against any person who offers a alternate opinion or scenario, and the utter idiocy of making claims about the incident that make no sense. Eg he has his shirt number. Talking about ba being booked. I can only assume these people haven't even watched it.

Take a breath, treat eachother respectfully and converse like adults.
Assuming you're referring to my post, I edited it to correct.

And the point still stands: you can identify people without referring to the colour of their skin. And should. Because, amazingly, a lot of black people don't like being referred to as "the black guy".
 

Nani Nana

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Vidyoyo

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Something I'll quickly add is that the ref comes across really poorly for reaction the way he did. He should have dealt with a possible racial situation in a much better way and that's something FIFA/UEFA need to get right in the future if they are to decrease the volatility behind racial remarks/attacks of any kind.
 

Maciej

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The worst thing is that we will have to wait for the result, probably tomorrow, whether we are going through or not.
 

dove

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Yeah and why would that be? Is it cause white people haven't suffered centuries of oppression and slavery across the world and are still fighting for equality even today?
We don't know the full story yet of what really happened but if it's really what has been reported and if you think it's racism then get a life. A few languages is probably already on the list to be banned and soon we won't be able to even use the word "black".
 

KekiZeki

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Are you seriously telling me that you've been in situations where you've said "him, the white guy over there!" or similar? C'mon.
If I lived in Africa and needed to point to a white guy, yes, most definitely this is the term I would use.
Also if I needed to point to a french national team player.
 

Fluctuation0161

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You guys realise that even if this is not racist there is still appropriate language you use in a professional environment.

Even if this is not racist it still seems very unprofessional in a multicultural environment.
Exactly.

"Who drank the last bit of coffee out if the office machine?
"The black one"
 

Massive Spanner

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We don't know the full story yet of what really happened but if it's really what has been reported and if you think it's racism then get a life. A few languages is probably already on the list to be banned and soon we won't be able to even use the word "black".
It's not about what I think. It's about what the person it's directed at thinks.
 

KirkDuyt

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This part right here:



Just pointing out that the English 'negro' is still used, even by esteemed organizations like the UNCF. In this case, it's certainly not condescending or insulting. And it's certainly comparable as its use is in reference to people.

Now, I'm not familiar with Romanian as a language so I don't know if there are other words they could have used. Maybe he should have said the bald guy instead but I'm having trouble seeing the racism in this. We're again transcribing English meaning onto foreign words because of how they look/sound.
I agree with this.

The official should apologize for being insensitive to other languages / cultures and concede that he understands this can be construed as rqcism and that he didnt mean it like that, but there should be some room for realizing that in some languages the word negru simply means black.

You can say something inadvertently racist without being one if you admit to your misstake and dont do it again if you ask me.
 

Web of Bissaka

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Just in theory, if the match was in Africa and most of the players were black, and there was one white player - if the white player is called "the white one", would that be considered racist?
I would honestly say yes, that's also a form of racism.

But I'm sure you know we should consider additional key contexts here. When "white" is being used, it's less used as a mocking, but rather, just a description of skin color. When "black" is used, not only it is a description of skin color, but even more so and it is universally known that it is often being used to downgrade people, mocking them by referring it to you know "something that is just not nice at all".... basically "white" is not really insulting (some people would find it insulting yes), while "black" is almost always, usually insulting.

If we only could stop labelling each other with skin colors... for god sake, skin color doesn't define us. There are so many variations. really... I mean even people with basic white colour can have reddish white, yellowish white or darken white, and even people with basic black color skins can have lighter brown or yellowish brown color. So what do we call those in between then? Geez. I never get this racist thing labelling people with skin color. Experienced it plenty myself towards me and others, and it stings alright. I never understand why they need to say that. Says a lot about themselves as a person I guess. Can't blame society since there are people who refuse to follow the common racist culture in the same society.

If we can only be more sensible and more civilized to use professions instead or maybe just use our clothes as a point of references (eg. the guy wearing red shirt, etc) if we don't know their names, gender or professions... that would be great.
 

Ramos

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Context is everything. The best example is the Negro League, today MLB broadcasters will say negro in that context and it won't be a problem because the context of the usage of the word is set and understood. Now if the same broadcaster use that term in a totally different setting, you can bet that it will raise eyebrows.

@kouroux do you think that it would be received positively if a french referee said "Le noir là-bas."? I don't know why but it sounds weird, not necessarily racist but awkward.
Honestly, for a referee it does sound very inappropriate in French. And it does in Dutch too btw.
 

The Kag

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Yeah and why would that be? Is it cause white people haven't suffered centuries of oppression and slavery across the world and are still fighting for equality even today?
Then what you're saying is that you don't actually want equality for all, but role reversal? Is that what I'm hearing?
 

Cassidy

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This part right here:



Just pointing out that the English 'negro' is still used, even by esteemed organizations like the UNCF. In this case, it's certainly not condescending or insulting. And it's certainly comparable as its use is in reference to people.

Now, I'm not familiar with Romanian as a language so I don't know if there are other words they could have used. Maybe he should have said the bald guy instead but I'm having trouble seeing the racism in this. We're again transcribing English meaning onto foreign words because of how they look/sound.
‘Negro’ being derogatory in English depends on who you ask or speak to. Just because some “esteemed” organisations use it doesn't mean its not by the way. Quite a few “esteemed” organisations still have racist roots, policies, and outcomes for their staff In the UK

Just pointing that out, not pointing figures or anything
 

duffer

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But they weren't and it was easier to point him saying "the black one".

Do you also accept the fact there is a cultural difference between English speaking countries and Romania?
Regarding cultural difference, it's up to the Romanian chap working for FIFA in France to be aware of these issues. This was not a conversation in a Bucharest bar between locals, he's representing a global body on a huge stage.

I don't imagine that he had any malice in his use of words but when you're a ref for FIFA in the Champions League, it's borderline absurd to believe he's not aware of these issues.
 

Sandikan

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That's the problem I guess, this is predominantly a board full of Caucasians (I assume) which is why we don't have any right to dictate what a black person does or does not find racist.
This is why I ran it past my pal to check. Not that one guy's opinion is necessarily the decider but just to see if my instant reaction was totally off to him.
And it wasn't.

I just think we have to watch trying to find prejudice everywhere as it waters down the actual real problem and brings splinter groups who refuse to be told everything they say is wrong - as seen with the Millwall lot the other week.
 

diarm

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But they weren't and it was easier to point him saying "the black one".
Again. Even if I agreed with your point (which I don't), Webo was not the only black man sitting on the Istanbul bench.
 

Fluctuation0161

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Go and ask a black person if he’s happy for any group of black people to be described as “the blacks”. You’ll get your answer then.

As for calling me a snowflake, I would say grow up. Certain terms just aren’t helpful when tackling racism. I really hope you aren’t one of the all lives matter crowd.
I think anyone stupid enough to use the term snowflake in a debate about racism is likely part of that crowd unfortunately.

However I'd love to be proved wrong...
 

JPRouve

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Honestly, for a referee it does sound very inappropriate in French. And it does in Dutch too btw.
It does right? It only hit me today that it was a very awkward thing to say in that context.
 

Web of Bissaka

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Languages to ban:

Spanish
Romanian
:lol: Every language actually have "racist words and expressions" as part of their culture.
Even English languages no?

There are "good words" and there are "insulting bad words".

I think we all should improve our culture and by extension our languages all the time. It needs daily review.
Not everyone in the same culture will utter those disgusting racist words and expressions.
 

James Peril

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I'm raising my kids not to use that sort of descriptors, I agree with everyone above that it is inappropriate in that it singles out individuals for their race (whether or with negative intent) and confirms race roles.

But even apart from that: it looks like he didn't say 'the black guy' (with those English words), but something including the Romanian word 'negru'. I have no idea about the connotations in Romanian, but certainly the close relatives I know (English 'negro', French 'nègre', Dutch 'neger') are not used anymore and would all be seen as condescending, if not insulting. Certainly a ref should know better than speaking like this, whatever language he uses.
You have no idea about the connotations, the context.... and you don’t speak Romanian, yet you write a passage about your take implying another man is racist. Well done sir, you just described the whole Woke generation and build up under the campaign that will probably have his life ruined by tomorrow morning.

You should also teach your kids the name of each color their eyes can see, would look a bit pathetic if they’re not able to name black, white or green in school in a few years. A person will always have a shade, but it does not say anything about said person - that we agree on. But he’s still black or white or perhaps Asian, I have a black dog, my sister has a white one. We humans are categorized for statistical and practical purposes, as with absolutely everything else in life to keep control over this planet. Black is literally an option to tick off on paperwork and documentation, like Asian, Hispanic or whatever... stop pretending it’s anything remotely similar to the N-word.
 

Sandikan

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Police use codes for ethnic descriptions, for instance ‘IC3=Black”.
Yes but they're still doing the exact same thing - identifying someone by race.

If the ref had wandered over screaming "the IC3" would that have been any different?
 

Sigma

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If you don’t think describing a group of black people as “the blacks” is derogatory, and that it’s worth laughing at me for calling it out, you need to learn a few things about subtle racist language which isn’t acceptable.
The guy who posted it is from Germany apparently so English probably isn't his first language.
 

AC1689

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We don't know the full story yet of what really happened but if it's really what has been reported and if you think it's racism then get a life. A few languages is probably already on the list to be banned and soon we won't be able to even use the word "black".
Presumably you would be telling Pierre Webo, the man accusing the official of racism, to “get a life”. If so, wow.
 

dove

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It's not about what I think. It's about what the person it's directed at thinks.
Some people think everything is racist against them. If they hear the word starting with n, even though it's in different language and means no malicious intent at all, they will still cry it's racism. That's how it is.