Racist Abuse Quotes

No one should feel comfortable venting racist abuse, whether from the stands or through media outlets. Just as fans must call out any fans they see hurling abuse, journalists must call out colleagues who perpetuate divisive rhetoric. Name and shame them.

If a player has been affected by racist chanting, then it is up to the officials to stop the game and make sure a message is read out to the supporters asking them to stop.

When I started at Portsmouth in 1974 there was a strong National Front element in the crowd and they would abuse me even though I played for their team. Racist abuse was part of the game and it was never challenged.

People think racist abuse stops on the football pitch, but that's just the beginning. When you go home, you are still confronted with it. Football is just a magnifying glass of the real world.

I was brought up in a football environment where we saw a lot of racism - whether it was abuse from other players or huge groups of supporters in away matches.

I had to deal with it so often, I found ways of making a point against racism. When I played against Real Zaragoza, they chanted like monkeys and threw peanuts on the pitch. So when I scored, I danced in front of them like a monkey. When the same thing happened against Real Madrid, I scored and held my fist in a Black Power salute.

Of course you don't want to hear racist chants, but sometimes, as a player, you have to take it.

I realised some Lazio fans were making monkey noises whenever I touched the ball. It is impossible to know what you are supposed to do in this moment. There were times when I wanted to walk off the pitch to make a point, but then I told myself that this is exactly what they want.

For too long now, European football authorities have not taken the problem of racism in the game seriously and refuse to acknowledge how widespread the problem is.

Sometimes people ask me this question in interviews and it is very difficult to answer. They say, 'Kouli, how does it feel when the fans make these racist howls at you? Does it bother you? What should be done?' I think that until you have lived it, you cannot really understand. It is such an ugly thing, and it is hard to talk about.

Places like Wrexham and Southport, when there are not that many people there, were tough. You are a young lad, and you're having abuse hurled at you.

I was bullied by a freshman named Jeanine. She was black and supremely racist. Jeanine used to say, 'Brownie, go back to your country. You smell of curry,' or 'Do you smell curry coming?'