Face up to it

Posted by Alan Tyers

Ramon Pradera, the director of the Spanish racing circuit where fans racially abused Lewis Hamilton, has claimed that the incident has been "taken out of context"…

Sr Pradera argues that there were 50,000 spectators at the track and that we shouldn't "generalise about the actions of four or five individuals".

The pictures of the four people with their faces blacked up were pretty staggering. You just don't expect to see this sort of moronic behaviour in 2008.

While these jokers are clearly on the lunatic fringe, it's also being reported in the Spanish media that Hamilton was booed around the pit, and that fans outside the McLaren HQ at the track shouted abuse.

Unless those four idiots were very, very busy, they can't have been the only ones acting in this cretinous way. And what of the stewards and officials – should they not have acted sooner? And, God forbid, could some of their fellow supporters not have had a word?

Spanish sport has a problem with racism. When your national football manager refers to Thierry Henry as "a black s***" and keeps his job, you know that it runs pretty deep. The monkey noises aimed at England footballers in November 2004 by significant sections of a Bernabeu crowd prove the country’s problem with racism is broad.

Sr Pradera should have apologised pure and simple and promised to help police prosecute the blacked-up idiots. By seemingly defending them, he's only fuelled suspicions that Spain doesn't take racism seriously.

Comments

[bertiewoo]

There is no room in sport, or anywhere for this type of abuse. The FIA should stand by their threat, and move the European Grand Prix elsewhere, and cancel the Spanish Grand Prix. Especially in he light of what that tit Pradera has said about the british relying on a "black pilot". Is lewis Black. I dont beleive so. Go for it Lewis. Get what you were robbed of last year!!!!!

[marble]

Im agreed with the jr, how could they walk pass the gate without no one noticed them? im not so sure.

[Kev]

Any knob who takes part in this kind of racial abuse should be banned from any future sporting event in Spain.

[jr]

What I would like to know is did these total a***-wipes bring these costumes in a carrier bag and change/black up in the stands, or were they allowed past security at the gate dressed like it?
Ramon Pradera should apologise unreservedly and not try to exculpate the Spanish authorities by saying it was only a few spectators.
One person behaving like that, is one too many.