#WeAreAllMonkeys
Neymar and Hulk show solidarity with Dani Alves by eating bananas
• Players lend support after racist abuse of Brazil defender
• 'We are all monkeys, we are all the same. Say no to Racism'
The world of football has rallied around the Barcelona defender Dani Alves after he took a stand against racist abuse by eating a banana thrown at him during Sunday's 3-2 victory over Villarreal.
The Brazil full-back was preparing to take a corner at El Madrigal stadium when the banana landed on the pitch next to him and he responded by eating it. Having complained afterwards that "it has been the same for 11 years" since he moved to Spain, his Barça and Brazil team-mate Neymar and Manchester City's Sergio Agüero were two of the players to publish pictures on social media in solidarity.
Neymar posted a picture of himself with his two-year-old son David Lucca da Silva Santos eating a banana on Instagram with the photo caption: "We are all monkeys, we are all the same. Say no to Racism!!", while the Argentina striker Agüero appeared in a photo with five-times Fifa women's player of the year Marta which showed both of them eating bananas.
City team-mate Fernandinho also got in on the act, posting a picture of an angry chimpanzee clutching a banana, with fellow Brazilian Hulk posting a picture of his entire family with the fruit.
"Utterly brilliant reaction from Alves. Treat the racist berk with complete disdain!," tweeted Gary Lineker, who played for Barcelona in the 1980s, while Spanish TV newsreaders and presenters have also joined the campaign.
The British journalist John Carlin, who is based in Spain and wrote Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation which was turned into the film Invictus, remains doubtful whether the campaign will have any real effect.
"Pigs will fly before the Spanish government investigates racism in football," he wrote in an editorial published on Monday in El Pais newspaper. The country is still "in the stone age" on the issue, he added.
The incident was listed in the referee's match report but no decision has yet been taken whether to punish Villarreal. Barcelona released a statement after the match which condemned their actions. "FC Barcelona wishes to express its complete support and solidarity with our first-team player Dani Alves, following the insults he was subject to from a section of the crowd at El Madrigal on Sunday during the game against Villarreal."
Fifa president Sepp Blatter also took to Twitter on Monday to condemn the treatment of Alves.
"What @DaniAlvesD2 tolerated last night is an outrage. We must fight all forms of discrimination united. Will be zero tolerance at #WorldCup," he wrote.
to lend support -
a defender -
to rally around -
to take a stand against stg -
to land -
a (football) pitch -
afterwards (≠ beforehand) -
to get in on the act -
to clutch stg -
fellow (Brazilian) -
utterly (adv) -
a berk -
disdain (n) -
to turn into -
pigs will fly before (idiom) -
an issue -
a referee -
a match report -
to punish -
to release a statement -
to be subject to stg -
a crowd -
to take to Twitter -
an outrage (n) / outrageous (adj) -
What do you think the Spanish should do to combat racism in sport?
Comments
Nobody is interested in taking it seriously...
I don't think it has anything to do with all the money and power in football. It's just that people don't see the problem.
I agree with both, the Racism shames us. It´s outrageous. The worst is that anyone does nothing in sport, that´s the screen where children learn. To thrown a banana at El Madrigal stadium is enough to close it twelve months. If the Villarreal team had lost money wouldn´t have permited another racism abuse, but they said that this ruffian won´t came to stadium. But everyone knows that this swine will turn into another person with dress, dark glasses, false hair and another make up. Then, this filthy man will can come, again, to stadium.
Thomas Hobbes, English Philosopher (sorry Graham), said: “Man is wolf to man”. -Homo homini lupus (In latin)-. I don´t agree with him, but somebody insists on yes.
See you. José.
Do you really think it would be a vote loser if politicians and football clubs got tough with racism?
I should have said....
Forget Prepositions of Place. Your real problem is with articles (a, the or ∅). There are posts and linked exercises in the blog.
Racism shames us. It´s outrageous. The worst thing is that anyone does nothing in sport, that´s the screen where children learn. (I don't understand what you mean)
To throw a banana at El Madrigal stadium is enough to close it down for twelve months. If the Villarreal team had lost money, they wouldn´t have permitted another case of racism abuse, but they said that this ruffian won´t be allowed back into stadium. But everyone knows that this swine will disguise himself by wearing different clothes, dark glasses, a wig and make up. Then, this filthy man will enter the stadium again.
... “Man is wolf to man”. -Homo homini lupus (In latin)-. I don´t agree with him, but some people insist that it is true.
ruffian? swine? Perfectly correct but a bit old-fashioned... :-))))
When I said "the screen where children learn", I meant that sport and football especially, are ways by everyone learns and the children stare it with much attention. Usually, they can watch this theme on tv or on computer, by its screen. It´s necessary pay attention in education of the children by the media.
I think the companies and the Government should use the fight against racism to get votes and money. If people had felt shamed with the act from El Madrigal, they would have ordered and demanded more punishment to this berk, but there is not culture of respect to other. Instead of call for a demonstration, they make a knowing smile. The Government and the companies do nothins about, because Spanish society doesn´t require. In any case, I think that the Government should establish stronger punishments.
See you.
I think that politicians and football don't do anything to sort out the problem because they don't believe it's a serious one.
Football Clubs are not interested in taking the problem seriously...
I didn't know that football clubs could give money to political parties.
Aren't they funded through the taxpayer?
Can companies and businessmen give money to parties? Are there any rules about how much and from whom parties can receive money?
Apart from the Barcenas saga, I've never heard this subject talked about in the media.
It'd be interesting to know where funds to political parties come from.
What's up man? :-))))
I totally agree with you on this one.
When I said "the screen where children learn", I meant that sport and football especially, are ways by which everyone learns and the children stare at it / are glued to it.
They can usually watch football on TV or on a computer, via its screen. It´s necessary to pay attention to the education of children through the media.
I think companies and the Government should use the fight against racism to get votes and money.
If people had felt ashamed about the act at El Madrigal, they would have ordered and demanded more punishment for this berk, but there is no culture of respect for each other.
Instead of calling for a demonstration, they give a knowing smile. The Government and companies do nothing about it, because Spanish society doesn´t require it. In any case, I think that the Government should establish stronger punishments.
Well done José!
I maintain that our style of politics is a reflection of the kind of society we are.
How can we expect our politicians to be any different from us?
...,in part through affiliates,but according to most politicians,this is not enough for their campaigns(more money,more possibilities to win).
Companies and Football Clubs can't give money to political parties,so they make undercover "donations",in exchange for some "favors".That´s the reason why both Parties and Companies,are not that interested in talking about the subject.
I think the whole political system is corrupt in itself.
On top of that, I think that the football fan should have been punished, because anyone should accept that behavior. According to the following question: How could Spain fight against racism? I would love to know it, but I am far away from the solution. I hope in some years we don't have to see that kind of actions that not only are shameful for the Spanish citizens but for everybody else.
Cristina Jaurrieta
F***!!! I finished writing your reply but somehow I managed to lose it. So here I go again...
I think you make a very good point. Instead of focusing on the racist, perhaps we should highlight the reaction of the majority to this kind of behaviour.
Racism is everywhere, whether we like it or not, and it is terrible how easily it can be found. Nevertheless, we can see here how sport has the ability to bring out the best in people, and not only the worst. While the spectator who threw the banana to discredit the player was showing his bad manners (I think you are being a bit too lenient with your words here), his partners were becoming great role models with their actions in social media, which showed respect and how to deal politely with the critics.
On top of that, I think that the football fan should have been punished, because no-one should accept that behaviour.
As for the following question: How could Spain fight against racism? I would love to know how, but I am far away from the solution. I hope in some years we don't have to see that kind of actions that are not only shameful for Spanish citizens but for everybody else too. (Here we don't use Negative Inversion because the sentence doesn't begin with "not only"...)
See you tomorrow!