After some recent high profile racial abuse cases and their aftermaths, there is another story in the making, and that’s some players are planning to form a new Black footballers’ association to combat rising racial abuse cases in soccer field. Peter Herbert, a senior lawyer, hinted that many players from different regions/clubs have raised their voices for such an association, though; it is only in its preliminary stage at the moment. After some players decided not to participate in Kick is out anti racial campaign, the speculations of a new blacks’ governing body’s formation were on the cart, and finally, it has come to everyone’s notice. The initially proposed title of this body would be Black Footballers’ Association whose primary objective would be to tackle racism more vigorously. Herbert says, “I think there comes a point in any community’s life or experience where enough is enough, people appear to have decided they have to do something more vigorously.”
There is an another section who is criticizing players effort to form such an association, and one of them is Football Association’s chairman David Bernstein who feels this is not the best way to tackle biggest concern in modern soccer. He said, “Fragmentation isn’t in anyone’s interest. Great passions are involved here. I hope sense prevails and people can work together.” In line with US Black Baseball Players Association, this association is in the making under the shadow of some of the prominent soccer players, including Rio and Anton Ferdinand, Jason Roberts, and Joleon Lescott who refused to participate in kick it out campaign.
Besides, Gordon Taylor, the chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association, is another prominent official who is strictly against of proposed association citing any such move will take us many years back. He said, “The longer it goes on, the more divisive it is becoming. We have black player against black player, different views of Glen Johnson, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand. I just feel it is time for cool reflection on their behalf.”
Apart from these oppositions, there is also a section who is in favor of forming this association coz they also believe FA is not doing what it should have to eradicate racism from soccer, perhaps what FA does is mare an eye wash; hence such an independent association is necessary. The formulation to define cost and its disbursal is in process and very soon we may have a Black’s association in soccer too.