Everton join Boro and Bournemouth in condemning racial abuse

Racism in football is not a new plague, but it's more contagious than ever thanks to social media platforms that are as soulless as the bigots themselves.

Even though his departure from the club has been all but official for a long time, I retain a deep affection for Yannick Bolasie, who always wore our shirt with passion, respect, sportsmanship and a smile. Best wishes to him. And damnation to the coward who hid behind the Internet's anonymity to abuse him.

The bizarre thing is that unless it was a pseudonym and fake photo, the idiot who sent Bolasie that racist tweet wasn't anonymous. So, unless we're dealing with genuine mental illness here, we can only hope that enough people will face consequences from the law that the message will get through that you just can't do this to people. It should be self-evident but, hey...

I am glad and proud that the club I support stood up for our player and also the other player who was abused. I am myself very inactive on social media so I don't know the content of these messages but I can imagine the vile nature of them.

In a strange way, this is the worst of times (the volume of abuse and the anonymity it offers the perpetrators), but also the best of times – because the victims know they are not alone and society almost unanimously condemns such behaviour. Being an optimist myself, I see racism dying down with this generation – too long, I know, but hopefully sooner.

Ajay,

Yes, perversely this is encouraging because it's being highlighted. When I was a kid, the likes of Viv Anderson and John Barnes had to take this kind of shit “on the chin”.

The “good” thing is that these kind of ignorant scum bags no longer feel comfortable doing this kind of thing face to face and instead hide in the anonymity of social media. So that's positive in as far as it's no longer tolerated that your real name and face can be attached to it.

The negative is that I think anonymity emboldens some people. There will be racist pricks who never had the balls to heckle their vile at a game who go much further when hidden by the platforms of Messrs Zuckerberg and Co.

In reality, clearly it's absurd for anyone who had the vaguest understanding of the game to abuse someone based on race. You're telling me this Borough fans would be upset if Mbappe or Neymar joined their club? Of course not. On a societal level I'd like the social media billionaires to put their greed aside and make it easier to name and shame the estate agent, plumber, private school kid, whoever descends to this base level of dispicable vitriol.

Lyndon

"So, unless we're dealing with genuine mental illness here"

Anyone who judges a man's character, and what is in his heart, by the colour of his skin is most definitely suffering from some sort of mental illness.

Thomas, “ Anyone who judges a man's character, and what is in his heart, by the colour of his skin is most definitely suffering from some sort of mental illness.”

I don't know if they are mentally ill but I think it's totally irrational to deliver such bile solely because of the colour of one's skin.

Imagine that sort of abuse solely because of the colour of one's eyes!! Actually, Thomas, “mentally ill” doesn't seem so much of an exaggeration after all.

Racism is disgusting.

👍
Sickening Brent.

So disappointing that we're even talking about this sort of thing in 2021. Mental illness may have a part to play but for the most part I think the perpetrators are just plain thick.

Is it me or has racism become more and more since being more on the forefront of Sky and Black Lives Matter? I am no racist but it seems to me that the more the media rightfully condemn it the more these people react.

I'm with Kieran on this. It's time the social media billionaires started naming these racist fuckers.

Posting racist comments would mostly stop if they had to put their name on the comments, Bobby.

As exhausting as it is for us and pathetic as it is for them, we must continue to show our resolve in driving this out of tolerance. And it is past time for the social media megalomaniacs to take responsibility, it must be forced upon them.

Agreed. This is a sad state of affairs and hiding behind a computer/phone or tablet probably makes it easier for such drongos to insult others.

Maybe they will hide behind 'freedom of opinion'. However, if this is the case, maybe they should just keep it to themselves and just 'Shut the fuck up'!