For several years I have been a member of the board at our Athlets’ School in our town.
Now, voluntary work. like that, may be a source of irritation to many, because it represents a guilt trip: If you do not participate; somebody else will invest their time, energy and whatever skill they possess, in both their own and your kids. Been there, done that. And if you say no (because you have 104 very good reasons to do so) you feel guilty for not stepping up and you are, for some irrational reason, annoyed at those “saints” who do.
My two oldest sons have participated at the Athlets’ School from they were 6 untill the age of 10, which is the range of age we adress, and in the course of those four years they have tried out all the sports which are active here: orienteering, freediving, swimming, water polo, field-hockey, badminton, mountain climbing, trial, skating, marshal arts, soccer, handball, basketball, bmx, kayaking and a few more. We aim to introduce them to the many active sports available in the local environment and give them the opportunity to choose a sport they enjoy later on.
My boys picked association football rather early on, and though they continued participating at the athletes’ school they joined football teams as well.
We have enjoyed following up by driving the teams to their away matches, watching them play in all kinds of weather (I still remember the cup when it started to snow and I had a tiny baby who lay in a pram and who I nursed... in the snow) and we have cheered them on and comforted when things went bad.
Now I have started to wonder if it was smart to encourage them to take an interest in football. They watch games on TV, they have heroes they study, they play football videogames and computergames and I have been rather content they have had such an healthy interest.
BUT, and there is a major BUT...
Lately UEFA has shown their true colors, I think. I have known for years and years that the money run the game to a large extent, but I never suspected it would take the turn it has now:
“After the Croatian football federation were fined 80,000 euros (just over £64,500) for their fans racially abusing Mario Balotelli during their match against Italy at Euro 2012, we take a look at some previous fines handed out by Uefa.
· Bendtner, 24, was found guilty of improper conduct by European football's governing body after he revealed the logo of the betting company on his underpants as he celebrated his goal against Portugal on June 13th.
- The Serbian FA were fined £16,500 for racist chanting from their fans during an under-21 game against England in 2007.
- The Russian football association was fined 120,000 euros (nearly £97,000) and handed a suspended six point deduction for the Euro 2016 qualifiers for fan violence before and after the Poland game at Euro 2012.
- Monkey chants were directed at England's black players during a match against Spain in 2004. The Spanish FA were fined £45,000”.
The bookmaker, whose logo Bendtner showed, has agreed to pay the €100 000 fine that UEFA dished out for Niklas Bendtner’s “ pantsgate” , inspired by Twitter feedback.Still, sport is fun, a game, to play, to show skills of an individual or a team in a specific environment. At top level they now show that fair play, to show respect and to measure skills regardless of religion, politics or race (like in the Olympics oath) are in retreat. Now money talks a lot louder than taking human beings, highly esteemed values and honourable conduct in consideration.
When organized racist chants are 80 000 fine and a commercial stunt gets a 100 000 fine + 1 match ban... I am not convinced anymore I want my children to take part in it. Or... yes I do, but what I really wish for is that UEFA review their order of priorities, and bring soccer into a sport to be proud of once again.
http://uk.askmen.com/sports/news_100/106_racism-in-sports.html Askmen on Racism in Sports
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