Team to paint faces black to prove they are not racially prejudiced

[Champ]

The row about racism in Spanish football has taken a bizarre twist, with La Liga club Getafe's president, Angel Torres, announcing that the whole first team would play their next home game, against Villarreal in 10 days, with their faces blackened with shoe polish, to "prove" that the club is not racially prejudiced.

Torres's announcement followed ugly scenes in Getafe's home game against Barcelona on Saturday, during which the away team's striker, the Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o, was subjected to monkey chanting from a section of the crowd throughout the match. Eto'o, visibly upset by the chanting, was eventually booked for kicking the ball into the same area of fans as it ran out of play. Barcelona's Brazilian star Ronaldinho was also subjected to racial abuse in the match, which Barcelona won 2-1.

"It was a stupidity from four idiots who don't represent the fans of Getafe," said Torres, promising to ban those concerned if they are identified by security cameras. "But it brings shame on the whole club. It is a silly and disagreeable way of behaving." He consulted his players, who agreed to the unconventional protest, before making his announcement. Getafe, from the southern suburbs of Madrid, is one of three teams in the top league not to have any players from racial minorities in their squad.

The Spain manager Luis Aragones - who started the race row when he was overheard calling Arsenal striker Thierry Henry "a black shit" in order to motivate Henry's Spanish club-mate Jose Antonio Reyes during a training session for the national team six weeks ago - has revealed that his family asked him to quit his job over the affair. But he added: "I have never thought about resigning from my position... I think it is wrong that they have been calling Spain racist, and calling me racist too."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/story.jsp?story=588888

[Magrittes Pipe]

1. Nothing like a blackface minstrel show to defeat racism!

Jump down, turn around, play a game of soccer.

:D

[MatrixEscape]

3. They must be ignorant of ...

American vaudville history, huh?

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. That's what happens when you try to apply American values to

the rest of the world. Hey, it don't work. Besides, I don't think America has values worth exporting, anymore.

[StopTheMorans]

2. oh wow that will make it all better

these jackasses should substitute for cobblestones in the running of the bulls next year...

[Lefta Dissenter]

4. Is this when I should confess

that I'm actually related to Al Jolson? (sorry)

[underpants]

6. We've come a long way huh?

Good grief

[Inland]

7. Well...I guess blackface doesn't have the history in Spain

and it seem their hearts are in the right place.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. It really helps when you don't have a one-dimensional upbringing.

Doesn't it? I agree with you.

[Zuni]

9. Perhaps they could put on a production of Amos 'n' Andy...

that would show their accusers

[Brewman_Jax]

10. Rather than waste good polish

Treating everyone present fairly and not abusing the ones who happen to be dark-skinned would probably work well, also. :think:

[brainshrub]

11. Some context here:

The Spanish don't have the connection between black-face and racist Vaudeville shows like we do here in the states. (Most Spaniards have no idea who Amos & Andy were.)

I think it's a good gesture that will probably backfire.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Yeah, black fans might come in the following week in white face.

:eyes:

I think sometimes it's a good idea to recognize that seeing other countries through American glasses will give you a distorted look.