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Latest update: 07/05/2011
- football - France - immigration - racism
Scandal explodes the ‘myth’ of multicultural Les Bleus
A week after French football chiefs were accused of setting ethnic quotas in youth academies, the subsequent row has raised the sensitive question of multiculturalism in Les Bleus, and France as a whole.
By Sophie PILGRIM / Yann BUXEDA (text)
A report implicating the top brass of the French Football Federation (FFF) in a deal to limit the number of black and Arab players in youth academies has tarnished the image of football as a sport where French players of all origins are welcome.
“The end of the myth,” popular daily Le Parisien asserted Friday, referring to the ethnically diverse national team which swept France to its first ever World Cup victory in 1998. Back then, the French proudly labelled their team, “black-blanc-beur” (black, white and beur, the non-pejorative slang term for Arab), a fabled reflection of a multiethnic France, living and winning in harmony.
Today, the rusty notion has lost all credibility, and not just at the stadium.
“This affair goes way beyond just the realm of football,” Patrick Mignon, a sociologist at France’s National Institute of Sport, told FRANCE 24. “Since 1998, football has become a national concern [in France]. It highlights and reflects social issues. In the case of the quota controversy, that means racism.”
Mignon agrees with Le Parisien, arguing that the black-blanc-beur concept was a myth, and now it’s been thoroughly debunked. “It was already crumbling at the 2010 World Cup,” he says (incessant squabbling led to an early exit for the team). “With this new controversy at the FFF, it’s been shattered.”
Blanc-blanc-blanc
Players from the original black-blanc-beur team entered the fray this week, leaving their 1998 team spirit behind as they took up positions on current national coach Laurent Blanc – himself a member of the ’98 golden team – who is reported to have been “favourable” towards the controversial quotas.
Not surprisingly, the same world champions who were united in 1998 are deeply divided today. Worse still, their differences seem to depend on their ethnicity, with black players slating Blanc’s alleged behaviour, while white players refuse to acknowledge it.
Former captain Patrick Vieira, of Senegalese origin, called Blanc’s alleged remarks about black players “scandalous”. “I know Laurent Blanc,” he said. “I don't think he's racist but I'm surprised by the degree of his comments. It's shocking”.
Bixente Lizarazu meanwhile told French radio RTL that Blanc had never had a racist attitude and should certainly not resign.
End of an illusion
“Everyone wanted to believe in the black-blanc-beur union in 1998,” says Mignon. “We wanted to believe that football was an example to follow in terms of integration.”
Mignon argues that the problem is not exclusive to France. “The UK, US and Germany all have the same sensibilities as France in terms of minorities and immigration,” he says. “We’re not the only country where such a thing could happen.”
Nonetheless, France is already troubled by the growing popularity of the far-right, who are notoriously unsympathetic when it comes to immigration concerns. This latest scandal comes as a further blow to the prickly subject of multiculturalism. “Football”, says Mignon, “is affected by the same ills as society as a whole”.
It looks like the hazy days of black-blanc-beur are long gone.
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Comments (7)
Why is this a problem?
Why is this a problem? Because those kids are born and raised in France and should have the same opportunity to compete for spots as their white counterparts. They're French. And you're all racists. Period.
Black Players in France,
Black Players in France, boycott and the whole world will understand the reason behind 98 championship
Perhaps if the Africans would
Perhaps if the Africans would at least attempt to improve their continent instead of fleeing to the European nation that will babysit them, then there wouldn't be as much tension.
Which team is France?
Let's see, the players are mostly made in Africa and in Mideast, then why the hell are they still call it a France National Team? May I suggest a new name...? How about Franafrica National Team? Or Franarabafrica National Team? So this is how France is go down in history heh, a joke? Because that what they are...a laughing stock for the world!
Coaches/Recruiters at fault
It's not a matter of allowing "Europeans" of having something to themselves. If the coaches or recruiters want more ethnic French youths, then they should reach out to them. The coaches should be encouraging parents to get their children involved in football or check out youths in schools across the country; not just in Paris or Marseille or Lyon.
European football
Are Europeans or people of European decent allowed to have anything completely unto themselves? Other races have this privilege. I think Europeans are tired of having to share everything create for themselves by force. Europe needs to talk openly about this instead of dragging people to court over talking about it.
ban football
they should ban football as its where all the thugs go to be violent
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