Football stars show racism the red card (From This Is Lancashire)

Football stars show racism the red card

9:00am Saturday 20th October 2012 in News By Saiqa Chaudhari, Education reporter

FOOTBALL stars and youngsters teamed up to show racism the red card.

Former Bolton Wanderers star, Fabrice Muamba, ex-Chelsea FC star Frank Sinclair and Bury FC star Efe Sodje and Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, were at the Show Racism the Red Card event at the Reebok Stadium.

Pupils from Turton School in Bromley Cross, Chorley New Road Primary in Horwich St Ethelbert’s RC School in Dean and Pikes Lane Primary School in Bolton were told about shocking racists incidents some of the players had experienced and how they coped with it — by becoming even better players.

The event comes after Bolton Wanderers striker Marvin Sordell claimed he and several team-mates were the victims of racist chanting when they played at Millwall.

Chelsea captain John Terry was banned for four games by the FA for using inappropriate language last season.

He had previously been cleared of using racist language by magistrates.

Oldham Athletic winger Lee Croft was accused of racially abusing a ball boy during a match at Sheffield United last Saturday (Oct 13).

Croft has denied the allegation.

Muamba said: “Raising awareness of racism among young people is important — young people do look up to footballers.”

Sinclair told how he considered not playing for his team after he received a bullet through the post. Instead he decided to win on the pitch.

He said: “Nine out of ten children know that racism is wrong, and we are reaching out to the one per cent, who maybe don’t speak up and tell those who suffer racism that they are not alone.”

Ilhan Mohamed, aged nine, from Pikes Lane, said: “I have suffered racism and I know I am not alone.”

Joseph Egerton, from St Ethelbert's’s RC School, added: “I think our generation can stop racism if we do something.”

Mr Taylor said:”We have made progress. Football reflects the good things and the bad things of society, and in football we want the good things to outweigh the bad.

“In life there are tragedies but there are good times as well.”