EXPLANATION: FIFA did not impose a ban on racism on Hungarian fans

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Players wait for a flare to be launched onto the pitch after England’s third goal, in the 2022 World Cup Group I qualifying match between Hungary and England at Puskas Ferenc Arena , in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday September 2, 2021 (Tibor Illyes / MTI via AP) Tibor Illyes AP

The English players targeted by racist chants from Hungarian supporters on Thursday will not have surprised the football authorities.

Hungary had already been told by UEFA to play their next two matches in empty stadiums after racist and homophobic abuse by their supporters tainted matches in Budapest at the European Championship in June.

So why was there a crowd for Hungary’s first game since the Euro, when England visited on Thursday night? Sports bureaucracy.

SANCTION INCIDENCE

Hungary hosted England in European qualifiers for next year’s World Cup, a game that fell under the purview of FIFA’s world governing body rather than UEFA. Hungarian fans will not be excluded from home games before the UEFA Nations League next year.

Europe’s top anti-discrimination official was surprised at the lack of urgency to secure the initial sanction applied for the England game.

The match should have been played behind closed doors, Piara Powar, executive director of the FARE network, told The Associated Press. “It does not make sense that a group of supporters sanctioned for discrimination at the European Championships are then free to racially abuse members of the next team they face because it is a qualifying match for world Cup.

It is not a punitive sanction designed to deal with a chronic problem such as racism or homophobia. It’s a pretext. “

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE

FIFA could have chosen to extend the application of the two-match stadium ban to any match. Or UEFA could have asked FIFA to do so. This is what happens in match-fixing and corruption cases, when football organizations seek to ensure that players or officials are banned from playing a role in the sport.

But there was no comprehensive application of the Hungarian punishment. FIFA and UEFA don’t care enough about doing anything, “said former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who suffered racist abuse in the 1980s and 1990s.

You can’t believe that two organizations can’t come together and say they’re banned, “Wright said on UK broadcaster ITV. The saddest thing is… black gamers will know they are likely to be abused. racial because they are banned as is and they are allowed to reenter. “

Wright felt it was inevitable that England winger Raheem Sterling would be subjected to monkey chants when he fell into the penalty area during the game.

They know they are going to be mistreated, Wright said. It is in their workplace that this happens.

There was no immediate comment from FIFA.

We should be able to put in place systems that recognize the seriousness of this problem, take offenses seriously and ensure consistency in sanctions, ”said Powar, whose FARE network collects evidence on cases of racism for the ‘UEFA.

This inconsistency shows why England team players have been on their knees for over a year now. They don’t believe the authorities are doing enough to punish racism.

ISSUES OF DIVERSITY

Hungarian fans also taunted England players by kneeling ahead of the kick-off of the 4-0 win for Gareth Southgate’s side. But English fans also booed the anti-racist gesture of their own players during the European Championship.

That’s why Southgate was careful not to condemn Hungary ahead of the game at Puskas Arena.

I never like it when we look out when we don’t have our own house in order, “said the England manager, also referring to the violence from home fans in the Euro 2020 final in July and to his own players facing racist abuse.

After the match, Southgate denounced completely unacceptable behavior from the Hungarian fans.

Although some people are stuck in their thinking and prejudices, they will end up being the dinosaurs because the world is modernizing, Southgate said. Hungary is not as diverse in its population as our country, it still takes us a long time to get to where we need to go and inevitably, if other countries do not have the same level of diversity, it is probably not in their way of thinking in the same way as in our country.

Well keep doing what we’re doing, keep trying to set a good example for young people in our country who will be more influenced by us than people elsewhere.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Unless FIFA responds to complaints from English football associations and takes a swift action against him against Hungary, there will be returning supporters in the Budapest stadium when Andorra visits for another qualifying match for the World Cup on Wednesday.

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