Ondrej Kudela, who racially abused Glen Kamara, has been given a ten-match ban
Last month Rangers’ midfielder Glen Kamara received on-pitch racial abuse during a Europa League game against Slavia Prague. Ondrej Kudela denied the allegations from the start, but has now been found guilty.
Kudela has now been handed a ten-match ban following the incident. Kamara has also received a three-match ban for “assaulting another player” in the aftermath.
Glen Kamara has also been given a three match ban for his response pic.twitter.com/S0h8g0s6Vz
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) April 14, 2021
While we don’t condone any violence on the pitch, his reaction was not only entirely justified, but no actual assault took place: it was nothing other than various players on the pitch swarming and separating each other, which happens almost every other week.
We want accountability from UEFA and FIFA, but we also want common sense: all this does is suggest that both parties were at fault and that one was worse than the other. The latter may be true but Glen Kamara should be protected not punished.
Kamara took to social media immediately following the incident, issuing an impassioned statement, but now both he and Rangers – along with many other football clubs and personalities – are holding a social media blackout in protests against widespread discrimination against widespread racism.
Sadly, Kamara has said that he has continued to receive constant racist abuse following the Kudela incident and, as we all know, social media blackouts and match-bans will never be enough. More can and needs to be done.
Hate crimes are a criminal offence – football players are no exception.
