Darren Bent offers his two cents on the scandal surrounding Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez
Former English international Darren Bent has come up with his experience of being the victim of racial abuse on social media. Bent has posted a video of racist comments he received when he criticised Chelsea star, Enzo Fernandez. The young midfielder has now been accused of singing derogatory chants against French national players.
Racism and discrimination have always spoiled the beautiful game, and the causes of racism in football are multifaceted, rooted in societal prejudices and the perceived cultural superiority of certain groups. The non-white players have always been marginalised and stereotyped in the football world, and this evil practice is continuing in the 21st century.
The consequences of racism have also affected the careers of multiple players and created a division between fans and the community in the game. Incidents of racist abuse have led to player walkouts, and fan conflicts, and tarnished the reputation of the iconic sport. The governing boards like FIFA and UEFA have implemented measures to combat racism, including harsher penalties and calls for referees to stop matches in the face of such incidents. However, the recent incidents highlight that there has to be more work to be done to eradicate discrimination from football.
Bent has shared the video on X in which he was racially abused by the public on social media for criticising Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez. The player also described it ‘The last time I spoke about Enzo Fernandez and his performances for Chelsea, this is the reaction I got, and this isn’t half of it #NoRoomForRacism‘. The former English star is a victim of racial discrimination.
No room for racism in football
Through the “No Room for Racism” initiative, the Premier League has organized dedicated matchdays to send strong messages against discrimination. The league has also established the Black Participants’ Advisory Group to help shape its ongoing anti-racism efforts. Despite these measures taken by the governing body still, players are facing discrimination on and off the pitch.
The recent racial abuse by Argentine players who have sung racial and discriminatory chants at French national players has affected the French players mentally, and they are expressing their anger through different social media platforms. Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez who was involved in the activity, felt guilty and apologised through his Instagram story.
“The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words, I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa América celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my character or beliefs. I am truly sorry.” he wrote in the apology message.
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Football’s magical power to unite people across cultures and boundaries has always attracted people to the game and that should not be tampered with through discrimination. The game should remain pure, where people from any class or race should be equal on the pitch.
