Fans, Racism and British Football in the Twenty-First Century: The Existence of a ‘Colour-Blind’ Ideology

Abstract

This article draws on 2500 responses from association football (soccer) fans to an anonymous online survey examining the extent of racism in British football. The overall findings are that half of all fans are still witnessing or experiencing some form of racism. Despite the creation of anti-racist initiatives, such as Kick It Out, and a reduction in overt chanting, there exists a ‘colour-blind’ ideology amongst the game's governing bodies and anti-racist organisations, as the extent of the problem is largely being ignored. Fans call for a long-term focus on anti-racism based on engagement and education within a greater range of social settings and, short-term, the implementation of more severe punishments by the game's governing bodies to eliminate racist behaviour amongst fans, players and clubs. For current and ex-players who continue to receive racial abuse through social media sites like Twitter, fans urge them to report it and place these matters in the hands of the police.