Another serious episode of racism shakes the world of football, the images of the stadium in Budapest with the choirs and monkey verses addressed to the English players are another black page for this sport. During England’s 4-0 win against Hungary at Puskas Arena, racist chants and howls were addressed by Hungarian fans to English players, notably Jude Bellingham and Raheem Sterling. There was also a dense throwing of objects into the field, including cans of beers and other drinks. Before the match, whistles and other chants were also addressed to the English players on their knees in support of the ‘BlackLivesMatter’ movement. Now Hungary risks serious consequences, given that its supporters had already committed similar behavior during the European Championships.
“We will ask FIFA to investigate the matter,” thundered the English Football Association in a statement this morning. “It is extremely disappointing to hear reports of discriminatory chants against some of our players,” reads the statement again. And a harsh condemnation also comes from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “It is completely unacceptable that England’s nationals have been the target of racist abuse,” his words reported in the English press. Johnson then joined the FA’s request for FIFA to open an investigation into the incident. Words to which FIFA has responded quickly, again through a press release, announcing that it will take “adequate measures” once it has investigated the racist abuses that the English players have suffered in Hungary. “FIFA firmly rejects any form of racism and violence and has a very clear zero tolerance position for such behavior in football,” said Zurich without ever mentioning the Hungarian fans. So FIFA has confirmed that “it will take the appropriate measures as soon as it receives the match reports relating to the Hungary-England match yesterday”. However, everything suggests that Hungary fans will be able to regularly enter the Budapest stadium next Wednesday for the match against Andorra. After the European Championships, the Hungarian Federation was sentenced to play two matches without fans, a penalty suspended by UEFA, a sanction which, however, cannot have an effect on qualifying matches for the World Cup which are under the jurisdiction of FIFA. In theory, from Zurich they could have extended the application of the stadium ban to any international match, or UEFA itself could have asked FIFA to do so, as stated in its disciplinary regulations. This is what happens in match-fixing and bribery cases, when football bodies try to ensure that players or managers are prohibited from playing any role in sport. But all this did not happen to punish the racist behaviors of the Hungarian fans.
Not that the English supporters behaved better at the European Championships, as the Italians attacked during the final or the British players themselves attacked on social media with racist offenses after the defeat against the Azzurri know well. Perhaps this is why English coach Gareth Southgate was cautious not to condemn Hungary before the match at Puskas Arena. “I never like to look into someone else’s house when we haven’t tidied up,” said the England manager, referring precisely to the violence of the home fans at the Euro 2020 final in July and to his own players who suffered. racist abuse. After the game, however, Southgate denounced “completely unacceptable” behavior on the part of Hungarian fans. “Even if some people are stuck in their thinking and prejudices, they will eventually become dinosaurs because the world is modernizing,” he added.