By Tom Degun at the Aspire Dome in Doha
November 15 – Former England and Liverpool player John Barnes has said that football must not look for racism where it doesn’t exist despite the fact that it is one of the most high-profile issues in the sport at present.
Chelsea captain John Terry and Liverpool striker Luis Suárez have been punished for racist comments made on the pitch in the past year, while referee Mark Clattenburg is currently under the spotlight for alleged racist abuse against Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel.
But Barnes (pictured top), who was subject to racist abuse when he first played in the English leagues in the in the 1980s (pictured below), said that the issue shouldn’t be taken out of context.
“I will never let ignorant people affect me,” he said here at the Aspire4Sport Conference.
“But it is very divisive to set up a black footballers association.
“We are going to alienate and distance people if we say there is racism where it does not exist.”
The Jamaican-born 49-year-old, who played for England 79 times, continued that racism will only be kicked out of football if people are educated on the issue from a young age.
“Racism is a big issue in life and society,” said Barnes, who remains a strong anti-racism campaigner.
“It must start from the roots that racism is unacceptable, rather than saying things have to be done in football to eliminate the issue.
“Unless that is corrected, we won’t be able to get rid of racism in football.
“FIFA can ban a player for ten years, but it won’t do anything in getting rid of racism.
“Football can do nothing about getting rid of racism completely.
“That will only come through education.
“The Governments have to do something.
“People have to be taught that racism is bad.
“Societies have to.
“Football can change people’s opinion of people that has a different colour.
“But until we tackle it in life and in society, it will still happen in football.”
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