quentinRacism hits at Australian Open tennis again!!!!!
January 19th 2010 00:51
Today's blog is an issue that really gets under my skin. I am of course talking about racism.
Now I have to say that it's very difficult for me to take the high moral ground because of the fact that every single person in the world can be racist in someway.
Having said that, I am absolutely ropeable at the events that occured at the Australian Open yesterday.
To give a little background, at last year's Australian Open, Garden Square (entertainment precinct and place of relaxation) turned into a battle zone as Croatian and Serbian tennis fans started hurling chairs at each other with one person getting knocked out.
Although yesterday's incident wasn't at the same level as that, having a group of Croatian fans chanting, letting off flares and intimidating people isn't a good look. In fact, a cameraman who caught the drama was hit by one such trouble maker.
Inside, people were caught with flares and there was a disruption of the match between Croatian Ivo Karlovic and Czech Radek Stepanek when fans started standing on seats and chanting.
Enough is enough. The vast majority behave themselves but it's the minority thats screw it up for everyone. At the same time, the Croatians have been involved in 2 incidents in consecutive years and this doesn't give them a good reputation.
Seriously, there has been far too much tolerance shown here. Evictions and people getting fined just doesn't seem to get the message through to the minority that their actions bring great shame on our great country.
So really what needs to be done is introduce a new zero tolerance policy.
If there's a group of fans chanting on their way to Melbourne Park, have some police shadow them. If the fans stuff up, then they get arrested before they get to the gates.
As for inside, plain-clothed police should shadow potential trouble-makers. The funs stuff up, they get arrested.
Anyone arrested in a zero-tolerance policy should be charged immediately, whether it be for public drunkeness or for being a public nuisance. Also they should get banned fron ALL sports events for life. Admittedly this would be tough to police as people could sneak in under different names/guises etc but put them on a blacklist and make it hard for them.
It really isn't that bloody hard to get tough on them. If you have to, lock them up for 48 hours, do something that might get the message through to them.
I am very proud to be an Australia but on days like yesterday, I just wonder what the hell this country is coming to.
Links that helped me with this:
Fans shown door as Maria lets herself out - Fox Sports on MSN
Racists bring shame to Australian Open - News.com
Now I have to say that it's very difficult for me to take the high moral ground because of the fact that every single person in the world can be racist in someway.
Having said that, I am absolutely ropeable at the events that occured at the Australian Open yesterday.
To give a little background, at last year's Australian Open, Garden Square (entertainment precinct and place of relaxation) turned into a battle zone as Croatian and Serbian tennis fans started hurling chairs at each other with one person getting knocked out.
Although yesterday's incident wasn't at the same level as that, having a group of Croatian fans chanting, letting off flares and intimidating people isn't a good look. In fact, a cameraman who caught the drama was hit by one such trouble maker.
Inside, people were caught with flares and there was a disruption of the match between Croatian Ivo Karlovic and Czech Radek Stepanek when fans started standing on seats and chanting.
Enough is enough. The vast majority behave themselves but it's the minority thats screw it up for everyone. At the same time, the Croatians have been involved in 2 incidents in consecutive years and this doesn't give them a good reputation.
Seriously, there has been far too much tolerance shown here. Evictions and people getting fined just doesn't seem to get the message through to the minority that their actions bring great shame on our great country.
So really what needs to be done is introduce a new zero tolerance policy.
If there's a group of fans chanting on their way to Melbourne Park, have some police shadow them. If the fans stuff up, then they get arrested before they get to the gates.
As for inside, plain-clothed police should shadow potential trouble-makers. The funs stuff up, they get arrested.
Anyone arrested in a zero-tolerance policy should be charged immediately, whether it be for public drunkeness or for being a public nuisance. Also they should get banned fron ALL sports events for life. Admittedly this would be tough to police as people could sneak in under different names/guises etc but put them on a blacklist and make it hard for them.
It really isn't that bloody hard to get tough on them. If you have to, lock them up for 48 hours, do something that might get the message through to them.
I am very proud to be an Australia but on days like yesterday, I just wonder what the hell this country is coming to.
Links that helped me with this:
Fans shown door as Maria lets herself out - Fox Sports on MSN
Racists bring shame to Australian Open - News.com
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