Clare-Balding Claims Football Fans Are Homophobic And Racist.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301012/Football-fans-homophobic-racist-says-Clare-Balding-claims-women-players-skillful-men.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

While Clare Balding is dishing out labels to male football fans by calling them both homophobic and racist, and then also claiming that women players are more skillful than men, perhaps she should at the same time attach the label sexist to herself?

Incidentally why did the BBC deem it necessary to employ her to host the Boat Race, as if we don't we see far too much of her on our screens now?

[sp1814]

AOG

PDC is a bit of a thug though. I know that, and I only have a vague knowledge of football.

[THECORBYLOON]

Anotheoldgit, the English FA says there is homophobic chanting http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/change-the-law-to-stop-homophobia-urge-fa-8165914.html

[Zeuhl]

/Can't say the same about homophobic chanting though, taking into consideration the lack of gay footballers willing to 'come out'. /

aog

why do you imagine that homophobic chanting can only take place if there are known gay players present?

that seems to be a particularly bizarre 'logic failure'

[emmie]

i was watching out of interest you understand youtube footage of him have a push you pull you dust up with one of his own players, isn't that stupid behaviour in anyone's book.

[Arksided]

Women and football don't mix IMO, without being sexist like Andy Grey and the other fella, Most pundits are boring. Clare Balding is welcome to her opinion, a lot of footballs' fans are as she stated racist and homophobic.

Maybe she should stick to playing rugby.

[emmie]

she doesn't play rugby, she was a fine jockey...

[Arksided]

Lol that's the rumour ;-)

[emmie]

now now, she was a very good horsewoman, no more jokes, c'mon..

[Answerprancer]

/// (I now fully expect a similar response to this!) ///
Don't flatter yourself, I do not respond to 'finger snapping'.

Good. I said it mainly as a 'blocker'!

[sp1814]

AOG

Can't say the same about homophobic chanting though, taking into consideration the lack of gay footballers willing to 'come out'.

On reflection, can you see the error in this assertion?

[FredPuli43]

AOG, explain please. Your OP says "While Clare Balding is dishing out labels to male football fans by calling them both homophobic and racist, and then claiming that women players are more skillful than men, perhaps she should at the same time attach the label sexist to herself". Now,how do those last words not indicate that she is lacking in self-perception, in your very own judgment? If she had self-perception. in your view of her, so clearly stated , she would see herself as sexist. That is exactly what you suggest, is it not?

If it isn't , please explain what you did mean by it. And while you are doing so,please explain how my asserting that you are saying she lacks self-perception is twisting your words .
.

[mightyWBA]

I like Clare Balding and she's good at her job,however just like most of you on here I'll bet she hasn't been to many football matches.
I on the other hand go every week and can assure you 99.9% of football supporters cause no trouble and don't go round shouting racist or homophobic abuse.
I haven't heard any racist abuse at West Brom since the early 1980's when we had 3 Black players,which was unusual then.
As for footballers "coming out" I honestly don't think there are many homosexual footballers,just like in society in general they are a small minority but have a loud voice.

Every negative is siezed upon and blown out of proportion when it comes to football and it does annoy me.
We are playing Arsenal Saturday and will no doubt have a few pints with the visiting Arsenal fans before the game,walk to the stadium together,watch the match and go home without having a big fight.
It'll be the same at many other places as well.

If you don't like, or care, about football please stop commenting because you really don't know what you are on about.

[tonyav]

Ah yes the ' Three Degrees' !.

[mightyWBA]

We had a good side then Tony...Cyrille cost five thousand quid..Bargain.

[tonyav]

Yeah they weren't a bad side at all, not as good as the Villa at that time though lol !.

[mightyWBA]

I'd nearly forgotten that...Thanks :(

[anotheoldgit]

As I have said before I am not in the habit of attending football matches, so I hope that someone who does can please explain?

If there are no known gay players on the field of play to offend, how or why do some of the crowd make homophobic chants?

To me it is like saying if there are no black footballers on the field of play to offend, why would anyone make racist chants?

[Zeuhl]

aog

think about it, the chant is about proclaiming and projecting one's own beliefs and attitudes

if a section of the crowd has in their repertoire a chant such as:

'you're all a bunch of f***in qu**rs and we hate you'

They will use that as an insult for anyone regardless of whether they are gay or not

And of course it doesn't become non homophobic if there are no known gays present?

Indeed, would that type of chant encourage gay players to 'come out' or discourage them?

Likewise, if a section of a crowd delights in chanting 'we hate ni**ers' or 'we hate y*ds', that is racist regardless of whether there are actually any black or jewish people there.