Day Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The largest fan group of Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg has demanded the club refrain from buying black and gay players. "We're not racists but we see the absence of black players at Zenit as an important tradition," Zenit fan club Landscrona said in a letter, called the "Selection 12 manifesto", posted on its website on Monday. "It would allow Zenit to maintain the national identity of the club, which is the symbol of St Petersburg." Zenit have been the only top club in Russia to have never signed an African player while the northern city of St Petersburg is known to have a strong right-wing nationalist influence. The fans said they want more home-grown or European players in the team. "We only want players from other brotherly Slav nations, such as Ukraine and Belarus as well as from the Baltic states and Scandinavia. We have the same mentality and historical and cultural background as these nations," the letter said. They also expressed their opposition to having "sexual minorities" in the team. Several prominent black players have turned down lucrative offers from the wealthy club over the past 12 months after receiving death threats from Zenit fans. A Zenit spokesman said on Monday the club would not comment on the fans' letter. The former Zenit and Russia striker Alexander Panov said the fans have no right to influence the club's selection policy. "If we don't have enough good players from St Petersburg, then what should the club do?" he said. "All clubs around the world have black players. If they are absent from Zenit – it's Zenit's problem. I don't think fans should demand the club buy or don't buy certain players. The fans have the right to go to the stadium or stay home." Zenit have been in turmoil for the past few months with several senior players unhappy after the wealthy club splashed out more than £60m on the Brazil forward Hulk and Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel just before the transfer deadline. Zenit demoted the Russia captain Igor Denisov to the reserve team in September after he refused to play, issuing an ultimatum to renegotiate his contract in line with what Hulk was making. Denisov was later allowed to rejoin the first team after making an apology. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/17/zenit-st-petersburg-fan-group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boycie Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Oh, my god, hold tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramexpat Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 World Cup 2018 should run smoothly then 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':wacko:' /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastKentRam Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I hope we follow suit. 'http://www.dcfcfans.co.uk/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ph34r' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':ph34r:' /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott129 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I can't believe views like this still exist in the 21st century. Absolutely ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 They didn't have to word it like that so it makes them sound racist.. They could have just said that they want to build a team using only players from Russia, Scandinavia and Ukraine/Belarus.. It would be perfectly acceptable to take this stance as many clubs in world football prefer to buy just from their region.. It just happens that there are next to no black people in those regions.. It's like Athletico Bilboa wanting players just from their region, which also happens to have next to no black people.. There is nothing wrong with taking that approach.. But the Zenit fans didn't have to make this a race case.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uptherams Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Can we host the World Cup now then please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Day Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 How do you go about sounding less homophobic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boycie Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Erm, they only want players with WAG's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCFCfranco Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Disgusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alph Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I know Hulk has not been made very welcome. Silly of him to go there. Big clubs offering big money for Hulk and he took the shortest route to big cash. Crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-JW- Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I know Hulk has not been made very welcome. Silly of him to go there. Big clubs offering big money for Hulk and he took the shortest route to big cash. Crazy. Are they against greens as well?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Day Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 I know Hulk has not been made very welcome. Silly of him to go there. Big clubs offering big money for Hulk and he took the shortest route to big cash. Crazy. Tbf to Hulk he never knew they had a problem with green players as well, incredible really init Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alph Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Tbf to Hulk he never knew they had a problem with green players as well, incredible really init omg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philmycock Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Tbf to Hulk he never knew they had a problem with green players as well, incredible really init I heard they're gonna sign Shrek in Jan, probably Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 They didn't have to word it like that so it makes them sound racist.. They could have just said that they want to build a team using only players from Russia, Scandinavia and Ukraine/Belarus.. It would be perfectly acceptable to take this stance as many clubs in world football prefer to buy just from their region.. It just happens that there are next to no black people in those regions.. It's like Athletico Bilboa wanting players just from their region, which also happens to have next to no black people.. There is nothing wrong with taking that approach.. But the Zenit fans didn't have to make this a race case.. Are you insane? This is massively racist and homophobic. It completely different from Bilbao where you have to come from a region. They openly talk about Slav brothers, that is a race, the Slav race. It's not just a region, they are quoting several different contries they find acceptable, some of them thousands of miles apart. You come out with some **** at times, but defending this rascist, homophobic bigotry as misunderstood regional pride takes the biscuit.i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bris Vegas Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Are you insane? This is massively racist and homophobic. It completely different from Bilbao where you have to come from a region. They openly talk about Slav brothers, that is a race, the Slav race. It's not just a region, they are quoting several different contries they find acceptable, some of them thousands of miles apart. You come out with some **** at times, but defending this rascist, homophobic bigotry as misunderstood regional pride takes the biscuit.i How am I defending them? They're being racist.. It's acceptable to say 'We only want players from Russia, Ukraine and Scandinavia'.. It's perfectly acceptable to say that.. But then saying afterwards that they don't want black players is racist.. They didn't have to say that.. Like I mentioned, they didn't have to make this a racist remark against black people.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jourdan Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Bit daft really. I suppose they'll change their tune if Hulk scores 15 goals in the next 12 games and they go on to win the domestic title. Football fans, even the most backward of them, are pretty fickle in that sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duracell Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Makes me sick that we have tried so hard, and rightly so, to eradicate our issues in football so we can call ourselves fit to host an international tournament, and then they give it to one of the most racist countries out there. The thought of African teams getting bananas thrown at them is just digusting but it's a very real probability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyinLiverpool Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 How am I defending them? They're being racist.. It's acceptable to say 'We only want players from Russia, Ukraine and Scandinavia'.. It's perfectly acceptable to say that.. Why is it acceptable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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