Understanding Racism in Sports: From Monkey Chants to Systemic Bias

Football fans often cite team support as their main reason for returning to the stands. However, 90 minutes of cheering can also offer a release for those upset by positive portrayals of Black people on TV.

During the third lockdown, racist fans, barred from confronting their targets in person, refined their racism tactics from home.

The Persistent Reality of Racism in Football

In 2020, Premier League players like Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, and Axel Tuanzebe faced severe online racist abuse. Labeling this abuse as “shocking” overlooks the deep-rooted nature of racism in sports.

Instances of bananas being thrown and monkey gestures are not just relics of past hooliganism.

Recent events, like England’s Euro 2020 pitch threat and Millwall fans booing players taking the knee, highlight ongoing issues.

Systemic Racism vs. Individual Acts

Focusing on isolated acts of racism misses the larger, systemic problems. A 2020 study by RunRepeat found racial bias in football commentary. Darker-skinned players were described in terms of physical attributes, while lighter-skinned players received praise for intelligence and creativity.

When commentators talk about intelligence:

“62.60% of praise was aimed at players with lighter skin tone

63.33% of criticism was aimed at players with darker skin tone

When commentators are talking about power they are 6.59 times more likely to be talking about a player with darker skin tone

When commentators are talking about speed they are 3.38 times more likely to be talking about a player with darker skin tone

When commentators talk about work ethic, 60.40% of praise is aimed at players with lighter skin tone”  culled from https://runrepeat.com/racial-bias-study-soccer

This bias in commentary reflects and reinforces harmful racial hierarchies. It is language that underpins ideas that black people are less intelligent, but ‘naturally’ more suited to physical tasks. At a base level, it is the very language that was used to justify slavery, right here in modern day sport, broadcast daily into the homes of millions.

Why bring up slavery? Because its legacy is alive and well and its language still impacts on the way we perceive athletes of different colours.

Historical and Modern Bias in Sports Commentary

Historical racism continues to influence sports commentary. For example, 30 years ago, CBS pundit Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder linked Black athletes’ physical skills to slavery.

“The black is a better athlete to begin with, because he’s been bred to be that way… And he’s bred to be the better athlete because this goes back all the way to the Civil War, when, during the slave trading, the owner, the slave owner would breed his big black man to his big woman so that he could have a big black kid, see. That’s where it all started.”

A 2019 University of Massachusetts Amherst study found similar biases today. They analysed almost 40 years’ worth of data from the NFL and NCAA American Football games. The results? Non-White players received more frequent praise for physical abilities (with commentators using words like speed, gifted, natural, monster, beast), and White players were praised more often for their intelligence and personality (words like calm, perfect, cool,Non-White players get praised for physical skills, while White players are recognized for intelligence and personality.  smart).  

Impact of Bias on Sports Opportunities

Biased language extends beyond commentary and affects coaching and management opportunities. Currently, only six out of 91 head coaches and managers in the Premier League and English Football League are non-White. In the NBA, where over 80% of players are Black, only about 30% of coaches are Black. This disparity highlights systemic barriers in sports.

Ineffective Measures to Combat Racism

Efforts to address racism include banning insensitive phrases and increasing coaching representation. Sky Sports, for example, banned certain racially charged terms. However, these measures often address symptoms rather than root causes. The NFL’s Rooney Rule, which aimed to ensure minority coaches are interviewed, has not significantly increased Black coaches over 17 years.

The Myth of Meritocracy in Sports

At time of writing, only six of the 91 head-coaches and managers in the Premier League and English Football League are non-White (only one of the 20 Premier League managers). In the USA, over 80% of NBA players are black, yet the number of Black coaches hovers at around 30%. If racism is entrenched in the language of sport, if myths about the capabilities and skill-sets of Black and White players are constantly repeated and reinforced, is any of this surprising?

Is it unexpected that recently retired players like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are given opportunities to manage at the highest level, while successful Black players like Sol Campbell struggle to find such opportunities? Is it such a shock that as of 2020, there was one Black board member across all the major sports in the UK, with just 5.2% of board members across 130 sport organisations being non-White?

It’s possible that we cling on to the notion of unconscious bias because it makes us feel better about our own racism. It absolves us of responsibility for our own actions. Yet, the minute we choose to relegate thoughts to the realm of the unconscious, they are, de facto, no longer unconscious, and we can no longer claim absolution. If we are truly working to be anti-racist, then we have an obligation to acknowledge the impact of those biases and work to reverse it.

“The idea of meritocracy is only feasible if everybody starts from the same position, with the same resources, the same access, the same opportunities.”

Steps made to remedy the situation

Attempts have been made to address racial inequality and racism in sport. Some of them have directly addressed the language used in commentary. Sky Sports, for example, banned their commentators from using phrases like ‘Nitty-Gritty’ which has negative connotations associated with the slave-trade.

While it is important to acknowledge the history of such words and the potential impact of their continued use, this type of intervention merely dances around the real issues of structural racism within the sport.

Sports are often seen as meritocracies where talent alone determines success. This view is flawed if everyone does not start from the same position. Talent might get athletes on the field, but barriers persist for Black and minoritized athletes in coaching, executive roles, or ownership.

Racism’s Ongoing Presence in Sports

While it might be tempting to imagine sport as the last great example of fair and free competition, it would be naïve to think that it is somehow exempt from the inequality and injustice that plagues the rest of society.

And if we ever need reminding, five minutes on Twitter should do it.

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