Eto’o Gets Ronaldinho’s Backing
Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho has backed Samuel Eto'o's response to the racist abuse he received from fans of Real Zaragoza in their 2-0 victory on Saturday.
The FIFA World Player of the Year said he would have joined Eto'o in walking off the pitch, as he was dismayed with the torrent of abuse directed at his team-mate.
"I would have gone with Eto'o after hearing the insults he received throughout the game," Ronaldinho said.
"This kind of thing cannot continue. We have to try and abolish these things from football pitches. I tried to calm him down and told him that he was bigger than the people who were insulting him.”
"We hope that actions like those of Samuel's mean these kinds of incidents won't happen again."
Eto'o tried to leave the pitch in the second half of Saturday's game, after expressing his disgust with the Zaragoza fans for their behaviour.
But the Cameroonian was convinced to stay by Henk ten Cate, team-mates and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.
Victor Esquinas Torres, who was the centre referee during Saturday's match, reported the incidents in his match report, which was posted on the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) official website.
"In the 76th minute, when Eto'o went to take a corner, the crowd behind the goal started to chant repetitively Uh! Uh! Uh! Uh! Uh!; clearly imitating the sound of a monkey," he wrote.
"I stopped the game for two minutes to ask the club to make an announcement over the public announcement system to ask the crowd to stop making these sounds that were in my opinion clearly racist.
"After the corner there was a penalty in Barcelona's favour and when Ronaldinho went to take the penalty the same section of supporters started to make the same kinds of sounds again.
"The message over the PA system asked fans to stop making offensive remarks against the visiting players.
"But despite this announcement, the same kinds of sounds were heard from various sections of the crowd throughout the rest of the game every time Eto'o went for the ball."
The RFEF fined Zaragoza over US$700 last season, after a section of their fans directed similar abuse against Eto'o and he imitated a monkey in protest after scoring a goal in that match.
But the club was slammed with another fine in February after another racist incident involving Real Betis's Brazilian forward Robert.
On November 27, 2005, Messina defender Zoro was reduced to tears after being subjected to racial abuse by visiting Inter Milan supporters and threatened to halt their Serie A game in Italy.
The 21-year-old was targetted when he went to collect the ball near the away supporters' section and after a chorus of monkey chants he decided he would take no more part in the game.
Inter's Brazilian striker Adriano went over to console Zoro before he broke down in tears.
Zoro's team-mates managed to then persuade him to play the remainder of the match and his decision was applauded by the Messina crowd.
Officials from the Italian football federation talked to Zoro about the incident after the match and the matter led to an official enquiry.
Zoro has said he constantly suffers racial insults.
"I have been playing in Italy for three years and I see this happening almost daily," the 21-year-old said.
"All this makes me really sad. It's not easy for me and it hurts. I don't deserve this."
On the first day of the season, Zoro was subjected to racial abuse by a large section of Lazio fans at the Olympic stadium.
His anger almost boiled over at the final whistle and he had to be restrained by his team-mates.
Afterwards, Lazio president Claudio Lotito went into the Messina dressing room to apologize on behalf of his club.
Despite a series of anti-racist campaigns, launched by FIFA and UEFA around the world, a football follower in Monrovia - Saydee Farley - sees this problem unabated and perpetual in Europe.
“The fines imposed by FA’s, especially the Spanish FA, is a peanut to the player, manager or club wage, judging by their persistent actions,” said Saydee.
“Fines and close door actions seem to have little impact now. Football authorities at the national, regional and international level must introduce tougher action such as lengthy bans,” he continued.
Saydee is a fan of Eto’o even though he supports AC Milan in Europe and Mighty Barrolle in Liberia. Saydee is also a fan of the Brazilian and Italian national teams respectively.