MADRID, 22 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The footballers of the professional competitions of England and Wales called this Monday for “real, more coherent and significant consequences” against racism, after the episode suffered by the Coventry City FC midfielder this weekend in the Championship, the English Second Division, according to a statement from the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).
“We have encouraged players, when they are aware of racial abuse, to take control of the situation by delaying restarts. A stoppage in play, no matter how long, forces a reaction. It creates a window to alert the referees and offers the best opportunity to identify those responsible. However, without action, the protocols are useless,” the union assessed on social networks.
In the words of the president of the entity, Omar Beckles, the athletes requested “real, coherent and significant consequences” against racism in football stadiums, “both for the individuals who are responsible and for the clubs that fail to control the problem.” . “The reality is that the players don't believe this is happening,” he said.
This weekend Palmer saw how a fan, at the match between his team and Sheffield Wednesday in Hillsborough, addressed him from the stands with a racist gesture. The match was stopped for several minutes while they decided how to react. Both teams asked after the game for “the most energetic measures possible” to punish the supporter's attitude.
“The responsibility for what happens next lies with the authorities. Kasey Palmer deserves to be praised for his exemplary behavior and his measured response in an extremely difficult situation,” the union analyzed in its statement this Monday, recalling that those responsible for this incident “were recorded, and must be identified,” to “face criminal charges.”