Racism in Irish Sports

Alert DateDecember 4, 2012 Country: Ireland Address: GAA, Croke Park Stadium, Dublin 3 Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Afrophobia, Intra-ethnic, Nationalism, Xenophobia
General Type: Racist discourse Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Ethnic minorities, Africans/black people, National minorities Strands: Racism Key Areas: Anti-racist Crime Legislation & Implementation, Anti-racist Policies & Organisations, Racist violence - Hate Speech Statistics

Timeline

  • Umpire suspended in GAA racism case

    A Gaelic Athletic Association (GGA) umpire was suspended for 26 weeks for racially abusing a player during a Wexford junior football game. The player said he has been the victim of racist comments for many years. “I just put up with it and said to myself that they’re ignorant people.” This follows another racist incident where another Wexford GAA was racially abused by a player. Sources: Irish Times, 14.08.2012, Umpire suspended in GAA racism case, http://www.iri...

  • GAA Football Player Aaron Cunningham Target of Racial Abuse on Pitch

    Crossmaglen's GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) player Aaron Cunningham alleged to have been the target of racial slur on the pitch during the Ulster Club senior gaelic footbal chapionship final between Crossmaglen (Co Armagh) and Kilcoo (Co Down) at the Athlectic Grounds stadium in Armagh on Sunday, 2 December 2012. He said that on two separated occasions two Kilcoo players called him a 'n***er' and a 'Paki'. He said to have notifed a linesman of the matter who however claimed not to...

The most recent case of racist slur on a GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) pitch whereby a player of Irish-African heritage was called a 'nigger' and a 'Paki' follows a number of previous incidents earlier this year. In March 2012, it was alleged that "Armagh captain Ciaran Mckeever was called a 'British bastard' by a Laois player. In June 2012, Wexford player Lee Chin stated that he has been putting up with racist abuse "for my entire life". In view of the most recent allegations, both Ulster Council president Aogán Ó Fearghail and GAA president Liam O'Neill have condemned "any form of abuse" (O'Neill). Ó Fearghail stated that "racial abuse would not be tolerated at any level" and that "if proven guilty certainly severe penalties would be applied" as such behaviour was in breach of Rule 1 stating that the GAA was anti-sectarian and anti-racism. A person using racist slur had discredited the association and will entail a ban of a minimum of eight weeks to a lifetime.

More information can be found following the links provided below.

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