This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/world/europe/bulgaria-england-racist-abuse.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian Soccer Chief Resigns After Fans’ Racist Abuse of England | Bulgarian Soccer Chief Resigns After Fans’ Racist Abuse of England |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| In the hours after Bulgarian soccer fans made monkey chants, raised arms in Nazi salutes and verbally abused black players on England’s national soccer team on Monday, outrage spread from the field to soccer officials and fans around the world. | In the hours after Bulgarian soccer fans made monkey chants, raised arms in Nazi salutes and verbally abused black players on England’s national soccer team on Monday, outrage spread from the field to soccer officials and fans around the world. |
| The English team condemned the fans’ actions and resolved to keep playing. The president of European soccer’s governing body called the behavior unacceptable, fueled by rising nationalism. And on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov of Bulgaria forced the head of the country’s soccer federation to step down. | |
| But for him and many other Bulgarians, the vitriol hurled by the fans could not have come as too great a surprise: Hate speech has grown more mainstream in Central Europe with the rise of nationalist parties in recent years. Three of those parties have joined the governing coalition in Bulgaria, with the prime minister mostly tolerating their worst behavior. | But for him and many other Bulgarians, the vitriol hurled by the fans could not have come as too great a surprise: Hate speech has grown more mainstream in Central Europe with the rise of nationalist parties in recent years. Three of those parties have joined the governing coalition in Bulgaria, with the prime minister mostly tolerating their worst behavior. |
| On Monday night, that kind of conduct was televised across the Continent at the European Championship 2020 qualifier match in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. There, as in many countries in Europe, the most extreme political groups tend to be tied — if not officially, then often ideologically — with the most extreme soccer fans. | On Monday night, that kind of conduct was televised across the Continent at the European Championship 2020 qualifier match in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. There, as in many countries in Europe, the most extreme political groups tend to be tied — if not officially, then often ideologically — with the most extreme soccer fans. |
| So for soccer’s governing bodies, including FIFA and UEFA, which oversees European soccer, the episode underscored the difficulties of clamping down on the racist abuse of players of color in an era of rising far-right forces around the world. | So for soccer’s governing bodies, including FIFA and UEFA, which oversees European soccer, the episode underscored the difficulties of clamping down on the racist abuse of players of color in an era of rising far-right forces around the world. |
| In a statement released on Tuesday, UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, blamed the rise of nationalism in Europe for encouraging racist behavior among soccer fans. | In a statement released on Tuesday, UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, blamed the rise of nationalism in Europe for encouraging racist behavior among soccer fans. |
| “UEFA is committed to doing everything it can to eliminate this disease from football,” he said. Soccer teams and organizations, he said, needed support from governments to “wage war on the racists and to marginalize their abhorrent views to the fringes of society.” | “UEFA is committed to doing everything it can to eliminate this disease from football,” he said. Soccer teams and organizations, he said, needed support from governments to “wage war on the racists and to marginalize their abhorrent views to the fringes of society.” |
| Despite efforts to eradicate discrimination, such as UEFA’s “No to Racism” campaign and English soccer’s Kick It Out program, episodes of racial abuse have marred matches in France, Italy, Slovakia and other countries around Europe. | Despite efforts to eradicate discrimination, such as UEFA’s “No to Racism” campaign and English soccer’s Kick It Out program, episodes of racial abuse have marred matches in France, Italy, Slovakia and other countries around Europe. |
| Even before the match on Monday, England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, worried about potential racist abuse during the visit to Sofia — Bulgaria was fined by UEFA in 2011 for racist chants by fans in a match against England. Borislav Mihaylov, the president of Bulgaria’s soccer union, took offense at Mr. Southgate’s suggestion. | Even before the match on Monday, England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, worried about potential racist abuse during the visit to Sofia — Bulgaria was fined by UEFA in 2011 for racist chants by fans in a match against England. Borislav Mihaylov, the president of Bulgaria’s soccer union, took offense at Mr. Southgate’s suggestion. |
| In a letter to UEFA’s general secretary last week, Mr. Mihaylov called the England manager’s claims that his players could face abuse from spectators “offensive” and “derogatory.” | In a letter to UEFA’s general secretary last week, Mr. Mihaylov called the England manager’s claims that his players could face abuse from spectators “offensive” and “derogatory.” |
| But it did not take long for the chants to begin raining down from the stands. By the 28th minute, play was stopped to try and get the situation under control. An announcement was made in the stadium that the match could be called off unless the behavior stopped, in line with UEFA’s three-step anti-racism protocol. | But it did not take long for the chants to begin raining down from the stands. By the 28th minute, play was stopped to try and get the situation under control. An announcement was made in the stadium that the match could be called off unless the behavior stopped, in line with UEFA’s three-step anti-racism protocol. |
| But in the 43rd minute, play had to be stopped again. This time, with their team losing 3-0, dozens of Bulgarian supporters who had been involved in the monkey chanting left the stadium. | But in the 43rd minute, play had to be stopped again. This time, with their team losing 3-0, dozens of Bulgarian supporters who had been involved in the monkey chanting left the stadium. |
| The chairman of England’s Football Association, Greg Clarke, was in the stadium at the time, and called the racist chanting he had heard “appalling.” It had left many England players and staff members visibly upset, he said. | The chairman of England’s Football Association, Greg Clarke, was in the stadium at the time, and called the racist chanting he had heard “appalling.” It had left many England players and staff members visibly upset, he said. |
| England’s team captain, Harry Kane, posted on Twitter that he was proud of the “togetherness” that the team had shown in “disgraceful circumstances.” | England’s team captain, Harry Kane, posted on Twitter that he was proud of the “togetherness” that the team had shown in “disgraceful circumstances.” |
| “Racism has no place in society or football. It needs stamping out for good,” he added. Several England players expressed support for action against racism in soccer. | “Racism has no place in society or football. It needs stamping out for good,” he added. Several England players expressed support for action against racism in soccer. |
| The episode Monday also renewed concern about the effect hate speech is having on society and politics more broadly. In Bulgaria, as in other Central European nations, groups attacking migrants also frequently target the Roma or other minority groups. And as the number of migrants looking to enter Europe has fallen, the attacks on other groups has picked up. | The episode Monday also renewed concern about the effect hate speech is having on society and politics more broadly. In Bulgaria, as in other Central European nations, groups attacking migrants also frequently target the Roma or other minority groups. And as the number of migrants looking to enter Europe has fallen, the attacks on other groups has picked up. |
| Some of the most extreme voices in Bulgaria can now be found within the government. In order to stay in power in 2017, Mr. Borisov needed to form a coalition with the three ultranationalist parties, called the United Patriots, even though some of its members have a history of calling for violence against migrants, denigrating women and using vile language. | Some of the most extreme voices in Bulgaria can now be found within the government. In order to stay in power in 2017, Mr. Borisov needed to form a coalition with the three ultranationalist parties, called the United Patriots, even though some of its members have a history of calling for violence against migrants, denigrating women and using vile language. |
| In 2014, Valeri Simeonov, a prominent lawmaker in the far-right Patriotic Front, one of the United Patriots parties, declared that “parts of the Roma ethnicity” in Bulgaria have become “arrogant, ferocious anthropoids,” and compared Roma women to dogs. | In 2014, Valeri Simeonov, a prominent lawmaker in the far-right Patriotic Front, one of the United Patriots parties, declared that “parts of the Roma ethnicity” in Bulgaria have become “arrogant, ferocious anthropoids,” and compared Roma women to dogs. |
| He would go on to become the country’s deputy premier and the chairman of Bulgaria’s National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues. | He would go on to become the country’s deputy premier and the chairman of Bulgaria’s National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues. |
| He stepped down in 2018, blaming a “media campaign” for making his work impossible. | He stepped down in 2018, blaming a “media campaign” for making his work impossible. |
| He was not alone in making racist and offensive comments. Bulgarian reporters unearthed Facebook posts by Deputy Interior Minister Stefan Balabanov, later deleted, in which he called Roma and refugees “scum” and “apes.” Two more lawmakers were discovered in pictures giving Nazi salutes in 2017. | He was not alone in making racist and offensive comments. Bulgarian reporters unearthed Facebook posts by Deputy Interior Minister Stefan Balabanov, later deleted, in which he called Roma and refugees “scum” and “apes.” Two more lawmakers were discovered in pictures giving Nazi salutes in 2017. |
| All of this has largely been tolerated by Mr. Borisov, who needs the support of the far right to hold his governing coalition together. | All of this has largely been tolerated by Mr. Borisov, who needs the support of the far right to hold his governing coalition together. |
| But with the sporting world focused on his country on Tuesday, he condemned the conduct of some of the soccer fans in a Facebook post, saying it was “unacceptable” that Bulgaria should be associated with racism, claiming that the country was one of the most tolerant nations in the world. | But with the sporting world focused on his country on Tuesday, he condemned the conduct of some of the soccer fans in a Facebook post, saying it was “unacceptable” that Bulgaria should be associated with racism, claiming that the country was one of the most tolerant nations in the world. |
| A short statement posted on the Bulgarian Football Union’s website Tuesday said Mr. Mihaylov had quit in light of recent tensions that had been “detrimental” to the organization and to Bulgarian soccer. | A short statement posted on the Bulgarian Football Union’s website Tuesday said Mr. Mihaylov had quit in light of recent tensions that had been “detrimental” to the organization and to Bulgarian soccer. |
| The Bulgarian team’s response to the fans’ abuse was mixed. The captain, Ivelin Popov, was praised by England player Marcus Rashford — another black soccer star targeted by the racist chants — after Mr. Popov was pictured talking to a group of supporters during half time, thought to be remonstrating their behavior. | The Bulgarian team’s response to the fans’ abuse was mixed. The captain, Ivelin Popov, was praised by England player Marcus Rashford — another black soccer star targeted by the racist chants — after Mr. Popov was pictured talking to a group of supporters during half time, thought to be remonstrating their behavior. |
| But Bulgaria’s goalkeeper, Plamen Iliev, said he had not heard any abuse, adding that he thought the home side’s fans had “behaved well” and that he thought the England players had “overreacted a bit.” | But Bulgaria’s goalkeeper, Plamen Iliev, said he had not heard any abuse, adding that he thought the home side’s fans had “behaved well” and that he thought the England players had “overreacted a bit.” |
| For their part, England’s players said they wanted to let their play on the field speak for itself. They ended the match winners, 6-0. | For their part, England’s players said they wanted to let their play on the field speak for itself. They ended the match winners, 6-0. |