The recent response by the Tampa Bay Rowdies to a player suspended for a racial incident is at the core of why racism remains prevalent in soccer.
Their statement reads in part:
“The Tampa Bay Rowdies have been and always will be an organization that has a zero-tolerance policy against racism of any kind. We take the allegations against Laurence Wyke very seriously which is why we are appealing this suspension.
“The USL has rushed to a conclusion and issued a statement without providing us the full report. This decision to suspend Laurence Wyke for an unprecedented 12 games, double the amount of any previous suspension of this kind, is unbecoming of the league and sets a dangerous standard for all players.“
Tampa Bay’s disregard for the severity of Wyke’s actions is disappointing to players and supporters of color, many of whom will be triggered by the club’s insensitive response to the league’s 12-game suspension. Incidents involving racism in soccer present discomfort for a league lacking black representation in key positions.
Yet this lack of representation is a key element that fuels an organizational culture of whiteness.
It is only in this type of organizational culture that you can mention a zero-tolerance policy for racism while questioning the length and nature of the suspension.
What is the acceptable suspension for showing a lack of humanity towards a fellow competitor? What exactly does zero tolerance mean to the United Soccer League?
Based upon the original statement, it means racism is bad but not bad enough for a 12-game suspension.
We can’t stamp out racism in the sport of soccer by being tepid with consequences. Education and room to grow are both needed, but repercussions must be severe.
Unprecedented punishment is needed to eradicate racism from the sport. Clubs shouldn’t prioritize their own interests over any potential impact on black athletes.
Our lived experiences in the USL and soccer in general in this country are those where racist comments happen often and are dismissed as jokes in an overwhelmingly white environment.
Consistent gaslighting is ingrained in this sport’s culture and something all non-whites in the game deal with regularly.
Intent matters but so does impact, and you can’t ignore the latter.
Instead of offenders wanting to understand the impact of their words and actions, they deny wrongdoing and almost always mention how this does not reflect their character. Implicit biases are pervasive and everyone has them.
Whether the Rowdies player intended to or not, he had a massive impact on a black USL player. A player that has experienced racial abuse before. The statement fell well short of allyship, in fact increasing the burden that Black players, supporters and staffers around the league must carry.
“The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.” – The Boondocks
Too often in racial situations, the burden of proof lies with the victim.
The Rowdies’ focus on the lack of audio or video evidence aligns with the historical handling of situations of racial abuse and preserves the racist system pervasive in sports. Even when evidence is readily available, action is too easily dismissed in racialized circumstances.
In a recent interview with Dave Zirin of Edge of Sports, Dr. Derek Silva stated, “There’s a lot of emotional labor that comes into having to prove your experiences of harm and vexatious racism were true,” insisting, “that is a really, really harmful approach.” He also added, “It’s not shocking how quickly ‘we need video evidence or it didn’t happen’ turns into ‘video evidence lacks context’ when it’s the lynching of a Black man.”
The type of statements and reactions by sports organizations, like the Rowdies, that center the need for evidence cause race-based traumatic stress (RBTS). According to Mental Health America, “Any individual that has experienced an emotionally painful, sudden, and uncontrollable racist encounter is at risk of suffering from a race-based traumatic stress injury.
In the U.S., Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) are most vulnerable due to systemic racism.
The lack of humanity shown in this case is too commonplace to minimize.
“The only thing that’s going to make us equal isn’t sports,” writes former NFL player Michael Bennet writes in Things That Make White People Uncomfortable. “It’s going to be people realizing we’re all human,” says Bennet.
It’s apparent from the organization’s original statement that we are not all on the same side.
We don’t all have the same understanding of what is acceptable and what isn’t. But as Victor Ray suggested, “Using knowledge of a system to your advantage is not ignorance, it is the act of someone educated in the nuances of institutionalized racism.”
We don’t all agree on what zero tolerance actually means. We don’t all see eye to eye on what accountability looks like. This isn’t just a race issue, it’s a humanity issue. This isn’t just a Tampa Bay Rowdies issue, it’s a societal issue.
It’s about value misalignment.
The culture of an organization to downplay racist allegations as a simple misunderstanding is not in alignment with what athletes and supporters deserve.
Instead of denying responsibility, any organization can apply these simple steps from “Dear fellow white people: here’s what to do when you’re called racist” by Professor Rebecca Hains.
- Focus on the present. What matters most is a) What you said, b) how it was received by those around you (as reflecting a racist bias) and c) How you respond to those who identified racism in your words or actions.
- Even if you know (think) in your heart that you are not racist, remember: It is possible to have implicit (or unconscious) racial biases.
- Take a deep breath and pause after being called racist. You will probably feel attacked and defensive. Check those emotions and avoid arguments.
- Swallow your pride. Don’t interrupt or justify yourself; you’re not on trial. Your goal in this exchange is to listen and learn.
- Work to identify and overcome your harmful implicit biases, and help raise your fellow white people’s consciousness.
There is a serious gap in racial understanding around the league.
You don’t have to look any further than the lack of representation in coaching staffs and front offices throughout the USL. The Rowdies’ statement disregarding accountability, and contesting the player’s intent, has significantly augmented the harm initially caused.
Investing in representation, equity and education is a must for any club that claims to be a promoter of equality.
Authors:
Brandon Miller is a former 10-year veteran of the USL. He is also co-founder of Anti-Racist Soccer Club and founder and Executive Director of the Black Player’s Alliance of the USL.
Bilal Saeed is a part-time lecturer teaching Ethics in Sport at Wayne State University, co-founder of Anti-Racist Soccer Club, CLR Academy, PKMD Media Group and co-owner of AFC Ann Arbor. He is board chair of The Mighty Oak Project while serving on the board for SafeHouse Center, Hart & TayTrain Foundation and also serves on the steering committee of Washtenaw My Brother’s Keeper.
