Introduction
Millions of people from all walks of life follow football, making it one of the most popular sports in the world. Football still faces significant issues, from racism and prejudice, despite initiatives to advance inclusivity and diversity. In the context of football fandom, this literature review focuses on the experiences of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) football fans. It examines the effects of racism and other issues that can deter BAME football fans from attending games. This review includes a detailed analysis of the recurring themes in the analyzed articles, highlighting the effects of racism and discrimination on BAME football fans to make recommendations for further research.
Racism and Discrimination in Football
Several studies have been done on racism and prejudice in football. Nevertheless, examination of fandom spaces like forums showed that people’s perceptions of what anti-racist activity meant were distorted (Kilvington et al., 2022). Others argued that BAME players should keep scoring goals to combat and eradicate racism, while some participants argued for fines and education.
Lawrence and Davis (2019) use Critical Race Theory to highlight the subjective personal narratives and experiences of BAME football fans in their essay. The authors contend that race must be explicitly acknowledged as a significant factor in the fan experience in order to close the gap between governmental policy and the lived experience of BAME fans (Lawrence & Davis, 2019). The perspectives of BAME fans would be considered in future policies and initiatives thanks to this substantial approach.
Some scholars have emphasized the apparent gap between White and BAME fans’ perceptions of racism. Particularly, Kilvington et al. (2022) point out how many modern football fans have a limited understanding of racism and consider it to be evident, plain, and visible. Using a critical sample methodology, Kilvington et al. (2022) investigated football websites where prejudice and xenophobia were discussed.
The study discovered that most football fans had a limited view of racism and viewed it as overt (Kilvington et al., 2022). It was neglected how implicit racism might be fought. Even while overt racism was sporadic on the boards, fans tended to downplay the displays of discrimination instead of acknowledging them and taking action.
Impact on BAME Football Fans
Football has anti-discrimination legislation and governance norms, but BAME supporters still struggle to be represented in football stadiums. Lawrence and Davis (2019) claim that English football’s ethnic makeup has changed significantly over time, moving from a sport dominated by white working-class men to one with a diverse range of racial and ethnic backgrounds. Although there have been fewer reports of racist episodes in the football fandom, BAME supporters still continue to express worries about their inclusion in fan spaces.
Passion for football cuts beyond racial, ethnic, and other social divides. However, as demonstrated in the article by Lawrence and Davis (2019), the time and money required to attend football games are frequently out of reach for many BAME fans due to their unique circumstances. They cannot attend games more frequently due to socioeconomic considerations, including poverty and long-term unemployment. Football has become hyper-commercialized, with affluent spectators replacing traditional supporters (Lawrence & Davis, 2019). As a result, many working-class fans, notably BAME supporters, who are disproportionately impacted by poverty and socioeconomic distress, have been priced out.
The challenges BAME football supporters face when watching games go beyond only socioeconomic ones. According to Cable, Kilvington, and Mottershead (2022), BAME football fans frequently face accusations of using the “race card” (p. 882) as they attempt to fit in and reject being marginalized. The article details an instance of suspected fan racism against Antonio Rüdiger in December 2019 during a match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea by analyzing fan tweets (Cable, Kilvington, and Mottershead, 2022, p. 884).
The article points out that while the incident triggered a national discussion on racism in sports and broader culture, other supporters attempted to minimize any potential racism, with 4% of tweets falling into this group (Cable, Kilvington, and Mottershead, 2022, p. 888). Rüdiger was accused of lying or of bearing the burden of proof before a racist incident could be recognized as having occurred. This highlights how football fans react to racism incidents and how some deny or downplay racism in football. New approaches to policy are thus needed to deal with ongoing issues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the common themes identified in the three articles highlight the persistence of racism and discrimination in football, particularly towards BAME fans. While these studies contribute to our understanding of the issue, it is evident that this topic remains under-researched and requires further examination. Despite the prevalence of racism in football, the issue remains under-researched.
There is a lack of detailed information on how BAME fans experience racism in football stadiums, as well as how this impacts their attendance. Understanding the elements that influence BAME supporters’ attendance at football games is crucial. This can help tackle the issue of racism and ensure that football is a safe and welcoming space for fans of all backgrounds.
Reference List
Cable, J., Kilvington, D. and Mottershead, G. (2022) ‘‘Racist behaviour is interfering with the game’: exploring football fans’ online responses to accusations of racism in football’, Soccer & Society, 23(8), pp. 880–893. Web.
Kilvington, D. et al. (2022) ‘Investigating online football forums: a critical examination of participants’ responses to football related racism and Islamophobia’, Soccer & Society, 23(8), pp. 849–864. Web.
Lawrence, S. and Davis, C. (2019) ‘Fans for diversity? A Critical Race Theory analysis of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) supporters’ experiences of football fandom’, International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 11(4), pp. 701–713. Web.