Rio Ferdinand: Deduct Points for Racist and Homophobic Fans

A follow-up to last week's story of Sol Campbell, the black British footballer who became the latest victim of ugly racist and homophobic taunts by English soccer fans. Football phenom Rio Ferdinand is frustrated at the lack of progress into the investigation. Rio says Tottenham should impose life bans on the fans who hurled racial and homophobic taunts at their team's former captain.

"The high-tech cameras should be able to pick up the people who are doing that kind of stuff and eject them from the ground," Ferdinand said. "That is the only way I can see to stop it happening.

Ferdinand has been vocal about ending racist and homophobic abuse by fans and says minor punishments are not effective. He is furious the Croatian team was only fined £15,000 for the ugly behavior of their fans in the recent defeat to England in Zagreb. Rio says points must be deducted. "Croatia were fined a few thousand quid. What good is that going to do? That is not going to stop people shouting racist or homophobic abuse. If things like this keep happening you have to take points off them."

During the Portsmouth-Tottenham match, Sol Campbell was taunted by anti-gay and racist insults and a deplorable song claiming he was HIV positive. Campbell has repeatedly denied he is gay and says the rumors—and insults—began when he left Tottenham to play for a rival team.

Rio: Deduct Points to Punish Racists [Press Assn]
Ferdinand Frustrated at Racial Abuse of Campbell [IHT]

Some Background...
Campbell Taunted with Racist, Homophobic Insults [R20]
Rio Ferdinand Piles it On [R20]
Rio Ferdinand's SUV in Rollover Accident [R20]
Blame it on Rio [R20]
Rio Ferdinand Apologizes After "Faggot" Remark [R20]
News: Iraq, Jamaica Gays, Rio Ferdinand [R20]
News: Rio Ferdinand, Giuliani, Vanity Fair [R20]
Nike Just Says No [R20]

Comments

[Ralphie]

Thanks a million for the football updates, mate. Some fans have become out of control and thankfully Rio is standing up for blacks. This is why a gay footie would be afraid to come out as openly gay.

[TONY DR]

Rio Ferdinand is a sexy azz MFer.

[Albert]

Okay, another incident of European soccer fans yelling homophpobic and racist slurs. That;s why I dislike that sport. .

[Humph]

Eh. Not really intertested in Brits.

[Thomas M]

Did you mean to say 'interested'?

[Samuel]

You don't have to be, Thomas. I love black British men.

[Trevor]

Wow. Didn't know there was such a strong sentiment about our friends across the pond. My BF is black and gay, he is from Manchester, and lives here in the States. Just my two cents, but I like this site because it 'mixes it up' and gives news from around the world.

I think that it's somewhat important that a black footballer wants to fine and penalize tams who allow fans to yell anti-gay insults. Just my two cents.

[nahtans]

Its amazing that someone would express that negative sentiment on Rods site. Rod has CONTINUALLY presented varied news from allover the world with the key ingredient being that is usually gay related and or afro-centric ( i.e. black). Of course the US election affects everyone ( everywhere) so that is featured as well.

I like that fact that he presnet how black gays and their friends are dealing with issues and enemies abroad BECAUSE we all learn from each other...

There are other blogs that deal 100% of the time with inner city thuggish black men who sleep with men (MSM) who are uninterested in anything other than the next sexual encounter, pot , and gangbanging BUT thankfully this is not a blog like that!

Thanks Rod for featuring Rio, soccer and the UK...

[Henry TW]

Nahtans that is an excellent point, my brother. I am Black, a native Brit and live in Toronto. I always come to this blog to catch up on what little Black gay news there is from England, the Continent and Africa.

It is always surprising to hear comments attack Rod for being cosmopolitan. We need to learn from each other.

You don't realize how many of my friends in Canada and the UK read this blog. Congrats to you Rod and keep up the fine reporting, especially on Rio.

[Shabaka]

I've been a fan of Ferdinand for a while now and I gotta admit, I only read about him on this site. You rock, Rod!!

[George]

I couldn't agree more. The teams should receive heavy fines as a means of controlling their fans' behavior. Some Italian teams had to play to empty stadiums because of the behavior of their fans. If the same penalties were imposed across the league, then I bet you there would be more intense policing of what occurs in the stadiums, as far as human rights are concerned.