Kick it out campaign...

[uttoxram75]

Jason Roberts is refusing to wear a t-shirt for the upcoming Kick it Out campaign. He's being criticised by Sir Alex and Arsene already......is he right to make a stand?

Jason Roberts set to snub Kick It Out anti-racism campaign.

Reading striker Jason Roberts will not wear a Kick It Out T-shirt in protest at what he perceives to be the campaign group's lack of action in combating racism in football.

Kick It Out's annual week of action starts on Thursday and players have traditionally worn shirts promoting it.

But referring to incidents involving John Terry and Luis Suarez, Roberts told BBC Sport: "I won't wear one.

"I find it hard to wear a T-shirt after what has happened in the last year."

“

I think people feel let down by what used to be called 'Let's Kick Racism Out of Football'

”

Jason Roberts

Chelsea captain Terry was banned for four matches and fined £220,000 by the Football Association for racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand in a Premier League match at Loftus Road on 23 October, 2011.

While Liverpool striker Suarez received an eight-match ban and £40,000 fine for the same offence against Manchester United's Patrice Evra following a Premier League game on 15 October, 2011.

Roberts, whose Reading team travel to Liverpool this Saturday, said he knew of other black players who were considering not wearing the T-shirts this weekend.

The 34-year-old added: "I'm totally committed to kicking racism out of football but when there's a movement I feel represents the issue in the way that speaks for me and my colleagues, then I will happily support it.

"I think people feel let down by what used to be called 'Let's Kick Racism Out of Football'. People don't feel like they have been strong enough.

"Unless they're independent, unless they don't have to explain their actions to anyone then they won't be held accountable."

Lord Ouseley, chairman of the Kick It Out group, told the BBC that he sympathised with Roberts.

"I can understand his frustrations and his anger," said Ouseley. "There are a lot of black players who are pretty fed up that [the Terry case] wasn't sorted out a year ago and quite frankly they need to get answers as to why.

"If Jason Roberts thinks Kick It Out could have sorted it out, let me tell you, if we had the power we would have sorted it out but we haven't got that sort of power."

Kick It Out facts

Kick Racism out of Football began in 1993

It became the more wide ranging anti-discrimination body Kick It Out in 1997

Its first Kick It Out week of action was held in 2001

In the season 2010/11, the organisation had an annual budget of £453,913

Of that, £330,000 came from the Football Association, the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association

It employs seven staff

On not wearing a T-shirt, Ouseley added: "It's a matter for him and his club."

Roberts said the football authorities had been "complacent" in their fight against racism.

And he believes that European governing body Uefa will not take adequate action after Danny Rose claimed he was racially abused in an England Under-21 game against Serbia on Tuesday.

"Uefa will sweep it under the carpet," he added, before saying it would take players walking off the pitch for any meaningful action to be taken.

"If Danny Rose, who I think acted excellently in the whole thing, and his team-mates walk off the pitch when they first hear racist abuse, guaranteed Uefa will start to change things."

Roberts said Terry's apology for racially abusing Ferdinand had come "a year too late".

He also feels the Football Association was lenient in its punishment of the former England skipper.

"The four-match ban was, for me, not a heavy enough sanction for what happened.

"I'm not happy. Certainly they should have given him a longer ban. The sanction is nowhere near harsh enough."

[Alph]

About the Terry thing, he was cleared in a court of law. I hate the bloke. Racism wouldn't surprise me. But it's done and dusted and im sick of people going on about "Terry being racist" like it's a fact.

Now the thing in Serbia, I'd wait and see what happens.

Football here hasn't got a racism problem anymore than homophobic or whatever. It's being stirred constantly by the media. I have never heard a racist remark at a football match.

Now it's Lee Croft and Millwall fans and on and on.

I would back Roberts if I thought he had a point but his fight is with UEFA and FIFA. Not a campaign!!

Serbia isn't England. And I'm saying in England, in football there is no racism issue. There's an isolated Suarez case and a Liverpool v Tranmere(?) case. They were dealt with.

[MuespachRam]

yep, he is doing the right thing, fair play to him too.

why should he be made to wear a t shirt after the Liverpool players all wore the Suarez t shirts? It is a joke.

The FA have found Terry guilty, they then crapped themselves and did nothing about it, when they actually should have banned him from ever playing for England ever again, even if he had "retired" himself....and Chelsea are equally as bad....

Good on Roberts.

[blackNwhites]

He should be backing it more vocally imo, not trashing it.

Strange choice, but that choice is his.

Serbian media seemed to have doctored a video that shows, apparently, every touch that Danny Rose makes. Very strange video, seems to focus on one area of the crowd at any time. You can clearly see Danny Rose is suffering some comments even when it's doctored.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/oct/18/danny-rose-england-serbia-racist-chanting

[Woodypecker]

Kick It Out is part of the solution, not the problem, Mr Roberts.

Bashing a perpetual campaign that has to respond to others' misdeeds - rather than working on for the cause - is a wrong-headed and damaging stance.

[Jourdan]

I'm really not sure what Jason Roberts expects to achieve with this 'protest' of his.

It is counter-productive, troublesome and self-indulgent. He needs to get off his soap box and kick his ego into touch.

I guess being in front of a microphone or on camera every weekend as a 'pundit' has caused to him develop a warped sense of self-importance and now he feels he has to speak up and make a stand perhaps.

I can appreciate he may have an axe to grind with the FA over the Terry and Suarez cases but how does undermining the Kick It Out campaign achieve that?

At the end of the day, Kick It Out have a difficult enough job as it is without the individuals it is trying to empower turning against them and looking quite frankly ungrateful and impossible to please.

You want them to do more? Rally round them and offer your support, not your condemnation. Use your position as a football pundit to make a POSITIVE impact.

Ferguson, for a change, was spot on.

[Woodypecker]

Hear, hear, Jourdan.

I thought Jason was a solid guy on Radio 5 Live but has to live with his hasty comments.

Seems like all footballers in the public eye do nowadays is get it wrong, then eventually apologise......

[Alph]

I reckon he's a nice bloke though.

And I can see his point. Just like you say, Kick It Out is on his side but what can they do?

FIFA and UEFA. Always FIFA.

[Cisse]

A good move by Roberts I think. I can understand his opinion and his choice will get some media time which will create more conversation on the subject that is clearly needed. I don't see this as counter productive. More like ad campaign for a good cause.

[blackNwhites]

So he shows a lack of support for it, the people involved in Kick it out continue, when does Roberts make a U turn?

[MuespachRam]

It is all about "raising awareness" and I think Roberts has done this wonderfully well.

[DerbyshireFox]

Fergie says he`s going to discipline Rio for not wearing one!? 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':blink:' />

The Leicester team decided to back Jason Roberts by not wearing them today.

[uttoxram75]

SAF says Rio embarrassed him by his actions. Naughty step for Rio? On his way in January I reckon.

[blackNwhites]

So, all these players that now don't support the 'Kick it out' campaign, having let themselves down imo, what they gonna do? Make a U turn in the future or continue highlight themselves as muppets? Rio's anti racist when it suits him, happy to dish it out when he feels like it.

[uttoxram75]

Not sure that's fair b&w. Perhaps some black players are genuinely angry at the last 12 months or so events and feel the need to raise the issue a bit more than a rather timid Kick it out week once a year.

[blackNwhites]

Not sure that's fair b&w. Perhaps some black players are genuinely angry at the last 12 months or so events and feel the need to raise the issue a bit more than a rather timid Kick it out week once a year.

Well, that's my query really, have they got something else planned? Two questionable instances of racism and one massive one overseas which seems to have kick started this boycotting the 'Kick It Out' campaign.

Once a year seems a bit daft actually, are they going to kick start something else?

ETA - http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/jason-roberts-let-down-by-kick-it-out-campaigns-inaction-8217241.html

Have any of these players thought about what they are doing? I'm not sure they have, it's a knee jerk reaction from Roberts and other players jumping on the bandwagon.

If they had a different plan in mind, I'd probably feel differently but until I see evidence of that I just see this as another sad day for the fight against racism and also for football.

[uttoxram75]

Well, that's my query really, have they got something else planned? Two questionable instances of racism and one massive one overseas which seems to have kick started this boycotting the 'Kick It Out' campaign.

Once a year seems a bit daft actually, are they going to kick start something else?

Aye, good point. Maybe the fact that the national press are making a big story of it is enough atm.

[blackNwhites]

Aye, good point. Maybe the fact that the national press are making a big story of it is enough atm.

Yep, I do understand that part but like I say, I'd like to hear more about what they're thinking rather than 'they've boycotted it'.

I guess we're talking about it which is something.

[Cisse]

Roberts has got people to think and talk about it which is good. I don't see it as opposed to Kick It campaign for boycotting to wear a t-shirt, rather challenging the campaign. Don't think it is Roberts job to solve this one. He has made a stand and there should be a lot of people in FIFA and other organisations to act on this.

Another thing. I don't think we should think racism as white and black thing only.

[Uptherams]

The players who boycotted the campaign on Saturday are just essentially ******. Why does Rio Ferdinand think he is so intelligent? The campaign is essentially a charitable organisation. They work within the budget they have. I am sure that they do the best they can with the budget they have. Boycotts by certain players are a direct insult to everyone who works in partnership and for the organisation. If Rio feels they are a no action group perhaps he should donate some of his over inflated wage.

Their are only a small amount of Premier League players I would listen to when discussing what is essentially political opinions.