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Red Card to Racism: The Fight for Equality in Football
The global Black Lives Matter campaign has given greater exposure to the extent and insidious nature of the structural and systemic racism that exists in all strata of our society and has provided renewed impetus to the urgent need to challenge and eradicate racism in all its forms and wherever it is found.
Sadly, sport has not been immune from this, especially so in the case of football. For too long, there were attempts to hide and mitigate racist attitudes and actions within the game, but thanks to the growing profile and visibility of black and minority ethnic (BAME) players both past and present - Viv Anderson, Cyrille Regis, Jimmy Carter, Les Ferdinand, Pat Nevin and Ruud Gullit to name just a few - and almost three decades of education and campaigning led by Kick It Out, attitudes have changed. However, now is not the time to be complacent - there's still a great deal left to do.
Throughout his entire journalistic career, leading sportswriter Harry Harris has championed the fight against racism in football. Now, within these pages, he shines a timely spotlight on the Beautiful Game, revealing the forces within football that have both helped expose and challenge racism - and, at times, sadly, hinder more rapid positive change.
Over the years, Harris has gathered an impressively large network of contacts within the game - players, managers, media pundits and association personnel among them. Many of them, such as Greg Dyke, Glenn Hoddle, Ivor Baddiel, Mek Stein, and Jermain Defoe, have spoken exclusively to Harris for this book.
Red Card to Racism is not only a welcome addition to the ongoing debate surrounding ending prejudice within football but also a timely and necessary addition to the wider discussion of the need within our evermore global multicultural society for all people, whatever their beliefs, gender, identity, sexuality or ethnic background, to be treated with equity, humanity and respect.
Sadly, sport has not been immune from this, especially so in the case of football. For too long, there were attempts to hide and mitigate racist attitudes and actions within the game, but thanks to the growing profile and visibility of black and minority ethnic (BAME) players both past and present - Viv Anderson, Cyrille Regis, Jimmy Carter, Les Ferdinand, Pat Nevin and Ruud Gullit to name just a few - and almost three decades of education and campaigning led by Kick It Out, attitudes have changed. However, now is not the time to be complacent - there's still a great deal left to do.
Throughout his entire journalistic career, leading sportswriter Harry Harris has championed the fight against racism in football. Now, within these pages, he shines a timely spotlight on the Beautiful Game, revealing the forces within football that have both helped expose and challenge racism - and, at times, sadly, hinder more rapid positive change.
Over the years, Harris has gathered an impressively large network of contacts within the game - players, managers, media pundits and association personnel among them. Many of them, such as Greg Dyke, Glenn Hoddle, Ivor Baddiel, Mek Stein, and Jermain Defoe, have spoken exclusively to Harris for this book.
Red Card to Racism is not only a welcome addition to the ongoing debate surrounding ending prejudice within football but also a timely and necessary addition to the wider discussion of the need within our evermore global multicultural society for all people, whatever their beliefs, gender, identity, sexuality or ethnic background, to be treated with equity, humanity and respect.
379 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2021
2 people want to read
About the author
Harry Harris
131 books6 followersLibrarian Note:
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There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 25, 2022
The writer is probably the perfect scribe for this volume, having been involved with the Kick It Out movement for the length of its life. This is the story of the movement and how it's aims have morphed from tackling racism in the game to the point where it's campaigning covers every kind of discrimination you might care to mention.
It's made clear that there won't be major change in BAME representation at the higher levels of football while those in power in boardrooms and on committees are male and white, so you're left to wonder how much KIO can realistically achieve until that situation alters. It can keep hammering on the door but until that door is opened then change will be limited. Achievements during the life of KIO are detailed and it's clear impressive inroads have been made but you're left with a feeling of wishing the organisation well while wondering how far those currently in power will allow it to go.
It's made clear that there won't be major change in BAME representation at the higher levels of football while those in power in boardrooms and on committees are male and white, so you're left to wonder how much KIO can realistically achieve until that situation alters. It can keep hammering on the door but until that door is opened then change will be limited. Achievements during the life of KIO are detailed and it's clear impressive inroads have been made but you're left with a feeling of wishing the organisation well while wondering how far those currently in power will allow it to go.
March 20, 2021
Certainly a very enlightening book as a lot of the stuff, despite being an ardent football fan, I'd never heard of happening before. At the same time, as a football fan, it is sad to read that people are judging players not on their footballing ability but the colour of their skin. I was shocked to read about the alleged quotas in the England team.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews