Sports
Zidane holds the key to defeating racism in football: Ruud Gullit
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Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit has outlined exactly why football is failing to properly address racism within the game in an exclusive interview with Off Script on Dubai Eye 103.8.
The 57-year-old former Ballon D’Or winner says it is only when the game’s influential figures speak out, that the authorities sit up and take notice, adding that complaints made by black players are largely ignored.
During a candid discussion on the increasing incidents of racist abuse both online and at stadiums, Gullit also defended Italian fans, who made headlines recently for directing monkey chants at Romelu Lukaku during Inter Milan’s match at Cagliari on September 1.
Gullit, who played for AC Milan between 1987 and 1994, echoed the claims made by Inter Milan’s fans over the last 24 hours, that the chants amount to gamesmanship and are in fact a mark of respect.
And he is quick to point out that while racism is by no means confined to football, the mob mentality that exists within the game has exacerbated it.
“This is not only an issue in football. This a plague in society,” the two-time European Cup winner told Off Script. “When things aren’t going well people always try and find a scapegoat. And they always point the finger at someone who is in the minority.
“It’s very ignorant to do so, but when people gather around in groups, all of a sudden this [racism] comes out. When you talk to them individually, they probably don’t have an issue.”
Gullit went on to highlight what he believes is the crux of why significant progress to combat racism is not being made.
Gullit on tackling racism
“It’s like cancer. The problem with this is that when a black person talks about it, everyone shrugs their shoulders ‘oh, here’s another one who feels attacked or feels this and that’.
“If someone important, a white person talks about it and says ‘this has to stop’ then more people will talk about it and take action.
“The same thing happened with #MeToo, when women all the time talked about themselves, people after a while say hey ‘always thinking ah, you’re in the minority’.
“But therefore someone opposite says something about it, for example, Zinedine Zidane, all of a sudden people will listen and say ‘this is not good’.
“That’s one thing. But of course, the authorities FIFA and UEFA need to take a stand, and to say what to do when this happens. Do we ignore it? What is the best thing to do?”
Meanwhile, recalling his time spent playing in Italy, Gullit was quick to defend Italian fans.
Ruud Gullit on racism in Italian football
“People had issues because we were good. Of course, they are going to direct abuse at you, but I didn’t see it as personal, I saw it as them wanting to put me off my game.
“The funny thing was that when we played, after the game, they always applauded us.
“For me, to see these things, it’s a little bit odd for Italy. I know the country has issues among themselves between north and south, but in my time, they were abusing you, but just to put you off, and afterwards, they’d applaud you.
“It surprises me because I have a very good memory of Italy. I love Italy. The style and the way Italian people are.”
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Tributes have poured in after the son of former Chelsea star Eddie Newton was found dead alongside his friend following a hike in the UAE, where temperatures soared to 50C.
Cassius Newton, 34, and his friend Aran Martinson, 33, were found by rescuers on July 18 after setting out on a hike in the mountainous Wadi Naqab region.
The pair, from Dorset and Essex respectively, both lived and worked in the UAE. Their bodies were discovered between 3km and 4km from their vehicle.
According to a report, Chelmsford area coroner Michelle Brown said their provisional causes of death included cardiac and respiratory arrest.
Cassius, a non-league footballer, was the son of former Chelsea midfielder and coach Eddie Newton, who spent more than a decade with the club.
His wife was in the UK when she became concerned after Cassius failed to contact her following the hike and reported him missing.
The two men had been living at a luxury resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Tributes after desert tragedy
Tributes poured in after the deaths.
Aran’s wife described him as “incredibly driven, hardworking and ambitious”, saying he had recently begun a new chapter in his career and was excited about the future.
Blackfield & Langley Football Club paid tribute to their former player, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news of the passing of former player Cassius Newton; our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
National League club Eastleigh, where Cassius had previously played, said it was “deeply saddened” by his death.
Chelsea connection
Cassius’ father Eddie Newton played for Chelsea from 1990 to 2001 and famously scored in the club’s 1997 FA Cup final victory.
The former midfielder also represented Cardiff City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Barnet.
After retiring as a player, Newton moved into coaching, working as assistant manager at MK Dons and West Brom before returning to Chelsea.
He later served as assistant manager under Roberto Di Matteo and Rafael Benítez.
(With inputs from BBC, The Sun)
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