Of course it's not racist to suggest Chelsea fans are racist

But if the grotesque behaviour of a few individuals is used to smear all Chelsea fans or Chelsea FC (some have tried to: heck, mea culpa, I did so linking to the video on here), or English football fans (I've read comments from expats saying they've never felt so ashamed. Get a grip, seriously: how are you responsible for what a handful of w**kers who happen to share your nationality do on a train thousands of miles away?), then that's happening via the exact same thought process, the exact same labelling, the exact same stereotypes, as those which result in racism.

I think that's the point that USA has been trying, albeit very badly, to make. I also think, more generally, that the reason there will always be a proportion of wrong'uns among football supporters is the tribalism which will always be integral to the sport - because at its most extreme, that tribalism attracts arseholes and horribly obnoxious behaviour.

And that happens in, oh, only every single football country on the entire planet. Where did this awful incident take place? Paris. PSG have had so many problems that sections of their ultras have frequently fought other ultras inside the ground. Their fans have the worst reputation in France by a mile - but that brings us back to where we began. Reputations and labels, which really don't get anyone anywhere.

Posted By: thebigfeller on February 19th 2015 at 10:54:55

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