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SFA praised for stance on bigotry

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Published Date: 13 November 2006
By ANGUS WRIGHT
UEFA is set to use Scotland as the template for combating sectarianism across Europe.
The European governing body has been impressed with initiatives implemented by the Old Firm and the Scottish Football Association after fining the Ibrox club for discriminatory chanting earlier this year.

UEFA director of communications William G
aillard said: "We are convinced Scotland is one of the countries that is doing some of the more interesting efforts in fighting racism and other kinds of discrimination. We came to talk to the clubs and the SFA to understand the reason for the success they have been having, and to transfer that experience to other areas of Europe where the football family has been less successful in stamping out racism or discrimination.

"The impression I am getting is probably the problem today is not as bad as it was a decade ago, and the efforts have been crowned with success in many areas. What is left of it is still probably more of a Glasgow problem than it is a problem in Edinburgh or anywhere else in the country. Racism doesn't seem to be a big issue in this country.

"Education and prevention is what we are really looking at and Scotland is a great example of somewhere where that has done a tremendous amount in practically eradicating the worst features of discrimination."



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1

Finloch,

Morningside 13/11/2006 08:28:35

Is this the same SFA who are currently turning a "Nelson Blind eye" to the evidence produced in the recent racial abuse of a Spartans player in an SFA East of Scotland match?
Is this a clever well spun plan to take the focus away from their recent and current shortcomings?
Why did The Scotsman's Angus Wright or his editor not think to link the two stories as part of the kind of "Joined up journalism" we should expect as opposed to simply editing the press release or briefing the SFA have provided.
The real facts are that our SFA actions remain highly questionable, contradict their grand "Strategy", and should be back on their agenda immediately for the benefit of us all.

2

Piltonjambo,

Edinburgh 13/11/2006 08:36:05

Yep it must be working right enough ...
except that unlike the whole of the rest of the country, we apparently cannot have a minutes silence on the 11th day for those who made the ultimate sacrafice in the war, and apparently with the SFA's/ SPL's blessing.
If we refer back to the infamous semi final v Hearts after the death of the pope where Celtic football club requested and were granted a minutes silence by the SFA/SPL which was subsequently abused by morons in the Hearts support, and where Celtic gloried in taking some sort of moral high ground because of it ... this now raises issues as to why the participating teams in ALL of this weeks games not reminded of their responsibilities on remembrance Sunday) ... surely this cannot be due to the ... 'worlds best fans' ... who we all know ... reside at Celtic football club!!!

3

&Larrsonfixestheradio,

13/11/2006 08:45:44

This has got to be a wind up surely Angus? It is well documented how much of a tizzy the death of Pope John Paul II sent the SFA into. A cock up of the highest proportions. Top item on the news on CNN on the league cup semi final between Celtic and Hearts was one of the top news items on CNN and FOX news never mind all around Europe and South America. Were Hearts brought to task ? No of courtse they weren´t. swept under the carpet and a chuckle at the SFA.

Then there was that sectarian watershed. The Rangers sectarian debacle at VillaReal. seemingly UEFA had decided that the "Fu(K the pope" chants and anti Catholic and Irish chanting were no longer deemed acceptable in civilised society but upon persuing this matter UEFA found out that the SFA had indeed accepted such a stance and still do so today and therefore decided to do nothing with Mr Gaillard acceptance. It wasn´t until it was appealed internally within UEFA that Rangers got a token fine and warned abouit subsequent behaviour.

Having attended the last Celtic game I see abolutely no change. Anybody seeing and hearing the racists behaviour towards anything Irish the sectarian behaviour towards anything catholic and the hundreds possibly thousands of Hitler salutes must realise that the SFA is doing absolutely nothing in its attemtpts to eradicate this kind of discrimination.

The SFA should not be allowed to attach its name to such projects and the SFA itself should be binned and replaced with a modern organsation that has failed to do anything about sectarianism in Scotland in 80 years. Rangers signing policy is only on example. How many years has the SFA been Rangers protection racket ?

Angus, if the editor of the Scotsman is needing someone to write an article on how the Klu Klux Klan is improving race relations in the deep south of America. Then you should get on the blower to William Gaillard - he´s in need of another go on an Open Championship course I reckon.

4

BR677003,

Dundee 13/11/2006 09:24:19

#2 Where is your indignation regarding Dundee Utd's non-minute silence or doesn't that fit your agenda.
Perhaps newsreader Jon Snow was correct in his attack on "Poppy Fascism". Or was the sacrifice of 2 World Wars not in part to ensure the FREEDOM to or not to dissent.

5

Piltonjambo,

Edinburgh 13/11/2006 12:58:40

#4
Quote 'this now raises issues as to why the participating teams in ALL of this weeks games not reminded of their responsibilities on remembrance Sunday'
Eh???? ... I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce ... which part of ALL is it you appear to be having trouble with

6

BR677003,

Dundee 13/11/2006 14:11:53

#5....the part I'm having trouble with is how Celtic fans have ANYTHING to do events at Dundee Utd ?

Quote "this now raises issues as to why the participating teams in ALL of this weeks games not reminded of their responsibilities on remembrance Sunday) ... SURELY THIS CANNOT BE DUE TO THE...'WORLD'S BEST FANS' ...WHO WE ALL KNOW ...RESIDE AT CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB!!!"

So my Jambo friend, what exactly is Celtic's input that YOU feel able to connect them to ALL participating teams.

Judging by your sarcastic pseudo-intellectual contribution, it doesn't surprise me that you don't know what my problem is.....or that you couldn't pronounce it if you did.

7

BR677003,

Dundee 13/11/2006 14:14:53

Btw.....where was the silence not observed on Saturday ?

Quote..."except that unlike the whole of the rest of the country, we apparently cannot have a minutes silence on the 11th day for those who made the ultimate sacrafice in the war, and apparently with the SFA's/ SPL's blessing."

Take your time now.

8

Piltonjambo,

Edinburgh 13/11/2006 17:07:24

Erm ... my message was made (in #2) about every team in every game this weekend ... it was YOU that raised the issue of Dundee United in message 4 ...
I'm glad that you noticed my sarcasm about Celtic ... because that's exactly what it was no more no less ... no other team was mentioned until then ... (and sarcasm being just one more service I normally offer) the thread is actually about the SFA being praised for their stance on bigotry.
I, and it would appear many others, would not agree that they have done anything like enough.


As for your 'So my Jambo friend, what exactly is Celtic's input that YOU feel able to connect them to ALL participating teams' ... I can only assume that you have not been following the other story about sectarianism and bigotry (hence my previous sarcasm) in this very paper no less ... unfortunately it refers to
supporters of ... Celtic football club !!!

I'm out of my mind at the moment, but please feel free to leave a message.

9

zed,

14/11/2006 10:33:32

"Scotland as the Template against sectarianism"?? Ha! I'll crack the jokes around here thanks very much! Would this template be based on the decades of ignorance and tolerance of bigotry? Perhaps the template will be formed around the indocrtination of discrimination against some that has been endemic and accepted at the SFA? Only in Scotland would those who have been the perpetrators of bigotry and sectarianism for years be congratulated, while those who have been the victims of this discrimination are roundly criticised and accused of inciting the discrimination and being 'offensive' to all these fair-minded bigots.....er, individuals. As Uefa say, when this discrimination has the "tacit support of the majority population, it is not as easy to deal with (the) issues"


 

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