Tuesday 3 January 2012

The Luiz Suarez Affair

Ok then I guess I'd better comment on 'that' situation. I have to say I find myself questioning my club and manager's (legend though he is) conduct. I think it was naive in the extreme to blindly defend Suarez on such a serious allegation whilst openly admitting that he didn't know the details of the incident and I think a 'no comment' approach, which Kenny is normally very good at, perhaps would have been wiser. I also wonder whether it was wise for all the players to wear the Suarez t-shirts in support of him - as I say this is a serious allegation and all of them had no idea whether he'd done it or not. I suppose you could argue that they were sticking up for their colleague and saying if he said he didn't do it, he didn't...but I think it was a bit unwise.

As for the incident itself, do I feel he should have been punished? Unfortunately yes. He admitted that he said what he said and in this day and age, quite rightly, you can't. Was it harsh? Maybe but I think any proven racist remark has got to be treated very seriously. I do think though that a seperate question needs to be asked which is 'is Suarez a racist?' I really don't think he is and I do think that social context has got to be taken into consideration. Suarez comes from a background where it is commonplace to address someone in that way and I do think he deserves credit for owning up to what he said and being helpful during his hearing. I'm not saying this means he doesn't deserve his punishment, but I do think it's different from John Terry for example. If the latter is proved to have said what he allegedly said, the same allowances cannot be made.

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