“I never thought a role model should be negative.” – Michael Jordan
Would you walk by someone and chant racist abuse, regardless of their race or colour? Would you throw objects at someone from a distance and then hide away and blame that person for inciting your behaviour? I thought not.
So it puzzles me why some spectators at sporting events feel that they are justified in committing these actions, then balk when the sportsperson affected decides to react.
Didier Drogba, the Chelsea striker, has received a three match ban for throwing a coin into a crowd of Burnley fans last Wednesday night. I’m not defending his actions at all, but the reason for him doing this was that someone from the crowd threw the coin at him in the first place.
Now being a Liverpool fan, I have very little love for Mr Drogba, especially for his abilities to overreact but while criticism came his way for throwing that coin, and rightly so, should that person (a coward would be more apt) that threw the coin in the first place not be held accountable for his/her actions.
Something makes us change when competitiveness is present, mostly it should bring out the best. Although it doesn’t happen anywhere near as much how can a “fan” justify making racist comments, screaming and cursing until their blue in the face and then report any slight gesture or retaliation from their target of abuse?
How can parents (and I have seen it) justify screaming blue murder, embarrassing themselves around others while their children sit beside them and have not only endure but in some cases repeat what they hear?
It seems to me, that some take a sporting event as a free for all and that they can finally let loose and cause all the trouble and aggression that they have been waiting to do for a long time. Or maybe it brings out the real person.
Either way sporting occasions are meant to be entertainment and those who throw objects, physically assault or verbally abuse should be punished. Didier Drogba was today punished, but I can guarantee that it is a lot harder to punish those “fans” who throw coins, beat up officials (many a provincial Gaelic match has been an example of this) and make racist comments.
I am well aware that there are those so called stars who do nothing to deserve their image and barely know the meaning of the phrase role model.
Society should not go down the plughole because of a few idiots. For professional sportsman, they should be just that. For supporters, they should remember to act like human beings.
Professional and respect go a long way.
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 and is filed under Thoughts & Questions, Your Questions.
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