You can read here on ESPN's soccer website, comments on how Kevin-Prince Boateng, a highly skilled German-Ghanaian footballer made a surprisingly sporadic and low profile switch from his team of the past three years, AC Milan to Schalke 04 in Germany. Both clubs are potentially title contenders, and Boateng would be a talent among many others in either the Italian or German side.
On paper, this seems a very understandable bit of business then. However Boateng, as the article states, through several incidents has become the most prominent victim of racial abuse on the field as of late. What's more though, is that Boateng just days before scored a goal himself to secure his former team's place in the continent's most illustrious competition, the UEFA Champions League.
Granted, Schalke 04 has also been awarded a spot in said tournament, but it did not seem as if Boateng's playing time was to be in any particular jeopardy. There was the return of former star, Brazilian midfielder Kaka, but Boateng had an established record with his club, and was clearly in form. Additionally, the Kaka transfer was not secured until after Boateng's departure.
It comes as no surprise to me then, that now the Chief Financial Officer of Boateng's new club, Schalke 04 has come out to state that the move was in part racially motivated.I remember the events that the ESPN article mentions very well, and it was a very slow, unclear time. The acute chants against Boateng came during a friendly, goodwill match against a team who had little chance of beating one of Italy's best club's in AC Milan. The racial abuse came at a particular degree of depravity and desperateness. Boateng, fed up, kicked the ball toward the chanters, and departed from the pitch. His teammates showed solidarity and followed suit. The decision was commended throughout the soccer world, except in the offices of those said to be in charge.
BBC Sport tells here of how the controversial President of FIFA, soccer's global governing body condemns Boateng's actions, and insists on harsher administrative sanctions. The thing is the very same or similar sanctions he discusses have been in place and have been utilized prior to this event. Perhaps there is not much longevity in Boateng's response, but the gravity of it should have been a stronger catalyst. It was only a friendly match, but what if those same circumstances were found in a semi-final with millions of dollars on the line? Would players be even further admonished for standing up for themselves when there are simply more stakeholders?
These comments on the transfer do not come from Boateng himself, so it will be worth following this story to see if there is any dispute from him in the days to come. I would be surprised though, if such a high ranking official in the only authority on this subject would go to the press and be drastically misinformed. Provided this is not the case, this transfer represents a remarkable failure for world soccer.
To imagine that any player would be forced to leave a high profile team for reasons not at all related to soccer, even after heightened media focus on his plight, is deplorable.
Some will say that Boateng has always been an eccentric, and liable to the spotlight, and there are events supporting that. Boateng was also raised and got his professional start in Germany. Still, it is not hard to suggest that the post-holocaust Germany is more racially progressive than Italy, motivating Boateng's move now. Even with these variables, this is an extremely slippery slope for soccer.
Especially considering how much of a surprise the transfer was, and how it fell under many of the other deadline day story lines. One can only hope that these comments from Schalke 04, published today, will bring the event back into focus. The contrast between the lack of interest in this transfer and the media uproar following the pitch walk-off is stark. In the days following the friendly match, pundits from all side called for the need of increased penalties, which never materialized. Now, eight months later, the main figurehead for the cause has been forced to quietly relent from the catalyzing situation.
There is some hope, as Boateng actually went to the United Nations this past March to present a speech with another soccer legend, former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira. He even had the "honor" of presenting his thoughts to Sepp Blatter a month prior to that. But following those events Boateng's role, despite his personal plight facing no resolution, faded out and apparently towards the Rhine River.
Boateng is a talented, fun to watch player. I still remember his goal in the 2010 World Cup which eliminated the United States, along with this absolute screamer below from a Champions League match against Barcelona, for his former club. I don't doubt AC Milan will miss his services.
If someone can do this, that's all that should matter for them to be able to show up and play soccer for a living. Here's to Kevin-Prince Boateng's continued success in Germany, and to his legacy somehow improving the increasingly turbulent racial situation in Italian, and global soccer.
this posting makes me wonder if English (and other events)hooligans are not racially based. If not racial than class? While you point out that soccer is played throughout the world, are not some teams and countries favored /successful because they have more advantages than others based on resources, class and racial make-up of the team? Social class is often a proxy for race.
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