Internalised Racism: Let’s Call Iwobi’s Gesture By Its Rightful Name

By Daily Sports on March 19, 2019

Football-related racism has come under the spotlight recently after some rather unfortunate incidents involving some bigots in the stands of European match venues who use the occassion of the beautiful game to remind us that football is still there to provoke moments of stupidity as the tension of the game rages.

In December 2018, Manchester City's Raheem Sterling was reportedly a victim of racial abuse from a spectator at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge home when City visited and lost last year 0-2. 

The backlash against the alleged racist fan was swift, forceful and wide. It showed that if racism was not ready to go away fully from football then, thankfully, many people are not ready to give up the fight to see it stamped out.

While the world has largely focused on the phenomenon of white vs black racism in football, there has been little evidence of black-on-black racism as a phenomenon in fhe game. There's hardly a popular case of that playing out in the playing field of international or high level club football.

But the recent incident involving Nigerian international and Arsenal star Alex Iwobi when his club clashed with Rennes of France in the second round return leg of the Europa cup has drawn attention to what seems a case of internalized racism.

Iwobi (who was a substitute player on the day for Arsenal) had a spat with Rennes black player Hamari Traore in the second half and what ensued was unsavory to say the least. 

Iwobi held his nose in a 'stink gesture' and was moving backwards as Traore was angrily speaking with him.

What Iwobi immediately suggested was that Traore had a bad breadth and was not worth his attention.

It was appalling to see because it came across as a gross disrespect of a fellow professional footballer.

Many have called out Iwobi for this action and it seems the right thing to do.

Beyond it being a clear disrespectful behavior towards a fellow professional player, Iwobi's gesture looked like internalized racism at play.

Internalized racism has to do with discriminatory attitude towards one's own group and Iwobi's action against Traore chimes in with this definition because its hard to imagine him exhibiting such attitude towards a white player.

He is mature enough to know this would have been viewed with racial lens if he had held his nose in disgust to a white player.

Iwobi's gesture towards Traore plays into that racial stereotype of black people as smelling dirty things. 

Unfortunately intra-racial discrimination is a real thing and it is alive in the minds of many blacks who feel their race is inferior in some way.

Iwobi has so far refused to apologize for his behavior, claiming that Traore cussed him and insulted his mother, which led him to do what he did. 

Is this believable? How did Iwobi understand exactly what Traore was saying to him. Does Traore speak English? Or does Iwobi understand French? What was there in that incident (before Iwobi's provocative gesture) to provoke Traore insulting Iwobi's mum?

The challenge to be a better professional and a finer human being includes controlling the impulses to act unintelligently and insensitively in public. Iwobi should learn that going forward.

iwobi

• Photo shows Iwobi and Traore during the ugly incident.

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 19, 2019


 

You may also like...
Rangers players beg for money

Obama Joins NBA Africa As Strategic Partner

Arteta Disappointed After Hibernian Loss

Inter Milan Sign Young From Manchester United

Rodgers Hails Ndidi’s Impact In Win Over Liverpool...

PSG Suffer Third Straight Away Defeat against Montpellier...

 

Latest News Chelsea eye Martinez to replace Osimhen Visa unveils Amusan, Nwachukwu as global ambassadors I’m not under pressure to coach Eagles – Finidi Super Eagles focused on World Cup qualifiers – Omeruo Ibrahim: Striker who wants to emulate Lukaku at Chelsea Boniface ranked best African performer in Europe Napoli may reduce Osimhen price tag Mali beat Nigeria 2-0 in international friendly NOC commends Team Nigeria, government, media for victory at African Games JOF U-13 Cup: 8 Clubs Qualify For Quarterfinals Osimhen resumes training, fit for Atalanta clash Boxers win big on final day

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (53,383 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (44,392 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (42,542 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (42,214 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (41,999 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (41,876 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (41,757 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (41,215 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (40,265 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (39,175 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (37,626 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (37,204 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media