Football and Racism
How Colonialism Shaped the Modern Game
Published on 20. January 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-80150-932-9 (ISBN)
Description
Explosive and groundbreaking study of racism in football and its roots from award-winning journalist Ronny Blaschke.
Racism in football is reduced to neo-Nazis and monkey chants. But if we want to understand its origins, we have to go back further. Drawing on more than 100 interviews from five different continents, this hard-hitting investigation reveals how:
Colonial powers such as Britain and France wanted to 'civilise' their subjects through sport
Their racial theory has long since been debunked, yet racist thinking still characterises European football today
Black people are often considered powerful athletes, but rarely get the opportunity to become coaches or board members
Colonial thinking still persists in talent scouting, sponsorship and the media
Racism is blighting football in Britain, Brazil, Namibia and India among other places
At the centre of this book are people - players, fans and activists - who stand up to racism with courage and grit. In England, black referees are networking to have a stronger voice. In Brazil, reporters are producing a podcast for Afro-Brazilian issues in sport. Above all, the question is: how can racism in football be pushed back?
Racism in football is reduced to neo-Nazis and monkey chants. But if we want to understand its origins, we have to go back further. Drawing on more than 100 interviews from five different continents, this hard-hitting investigation reveals how:
Colonial powers such as Britain and France wanted to 'civilise' their subjects through sport
Their racial theory has long since been debunked, yet racist thinking still characterises European football today
Black people are often considered powerful athletes, but rarely get the opportunity to become coaches or board members
Colonial thinking still persists in talent scouting, sponsorship and the media
Racism is blighting football in Britain, Brazil, Namibia and India among other places
At the centre of this book are people - players, fans and activists - who stand up to racism with courage and grit. In England, black referees are networking to have a stronger voice. In Brazil, reporters are producing a podcast for Afro-Brazilian issues in sport. Above all, the question is: how can racism in football be pushed back?
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Hove
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 214 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
266 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80150-932-9 (9781801509329)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Ronny Blaschke is one of the most respected sports journalists in Germany. For more than 20 years he has covered political issues in football - especially violence, racism and the abuse of power. Blaschke has written six books and received numerous awards, including 'Football Book of the Year' and 'Sports Journalist of the Year'. He incorporates his research into political education and has given hundreds of lectures.