Hello all. I love soccer and my favorite team in Spain is Atletico. I am however concerned about the events which took place at Vicente Calderon Stadium yesterday against Osasuna. Atletico won 1-0 but the game was marred by racist chants directed at a black Osasuna player for most of the game. When is the Spanish Soccer Federation going to punish teams for this type of behavior. A fine is not enough. I really like this team but it is not an Atletico problem, it is all over Spain. Has anyone been to a soccer game in Spain and witnessed the same thing?

its not just Spain its everywhere in the world. at every game you find folks like this,and if you happened to be of diff color skin even more.The Spanish assoc and UEFA has taken action against this so has the players themselves. Awareness is indeed the best way but it will go slow just like in the USA.

im sorry but i do not agree pedmar in the english premiership we have loads of coloured players im a season ticket holder at bolton wanderers and have not come across any racialist comments at the reebok stadium yes we have a go at certain players because of there profile but that is banter (and because they are good players)quite a few top players are on a stamp out racism project in england and you will be ejected from the stadium with a life time ban if you racialy abuse anybody! i remember england playing at the bernabau 2yrs ago and people did not watch the match they stood up and just abused the coloured players. im not saying spain is the only place with a problem (by the way i love spanish football)but all the vibes in england are it is coming from la liga, deducting points is the only way because everyone is so rich it does not matter, points lost hurts

well you are entitled to your opinion billy the man but in England too. Ask Thierry Henry and Patrick Viera. All the players in all the countries in UEFA has band together to fight this phenomenon because it is affecting all the countries in all the stadium.
nothing alarming but is there. I do watch English football here in France too.

Well said. Racism and stadiums in the US is basically non-existant when it comes to black players being abused. Racism exists but its TABOO to openly display your beliefs.

Having been a season ticket holder at Atletí and also in England I have to agree with the original poster. I used to get quite uncomfotable at the monkey noise chants that appeared to be the norm if a black player was on the ball regardless of whether he was a home or away player. It is something that must be treated with more seriousness in Spain.
In England whilst there are isolated incidents they are just that and there is a very strong policy of banning the perpetrators from the grounds. But they are isolated, due to the Kick out Racism campaign that was run by all clubs.

Great comment!

Great comment The_Keeper

jysuper the reason is taboo in the US its because its illegal by civil rights laws which stop folks from openly discussed it.BUT its there too...if not ask NAACP and LULAC.

and I already discussed the England situation.

Another reason may be that almost in every major nationally-televised U.S. sport, 95% of players are black!!...And many in the public, compared to Spain, are also black!!. But I also agree with pedmar, racism exists in the U.S., and everywhere.

Oh boy. It always comes back to the U.S. doesn't it?

Well, of course racism exist in the U.S. because there are ignorant people in the U.S. and every other country. However, we seldom hear of anyone ignorant enough, even after excessive drinking, to display racism in the middle of a public event. This would take a lot of nerve and the perpetrator would be subject to verbal and physical abuse. Much verbal and physical abuse.

Do you think there will be a time when Europeans take a stand against such obnoxious behavior?