"Racism, Sports is now at war" by Daniel Cho

By Daniel Cho, South Korea.

In European football, some actions by malicious fans is often related to racial discrimination. People of color, such as blacks and Asians, are being targeted by malicious fans. Heung-min Son (Tottenham Hotspur), who is considered the sign of Korean football, has also been a victim of racism several times. Son Heung-min was hit in the face by Manchester United's Scott McTominay in the first half of the match between Manchester United and Tottenham on April 12, and the scene in which Manchester United's goal was canceled became controversial.

On the one hand, this increased awareness of racism in the English Premier League (EPL) and led to a temporary SNS boycott campaign in which EPL clubs protested against social media companies that neglect racism and malicious comments. Some British netizens who wrote malicious comments about Son Heung-min were arrested by the local police on charges of racist abuse, and the Manchester United club was reported to have imposed a ban on fans accused of violating club rules by swearing at Son Heung-min.

(BBC Sport - Racism in football: 'Problems still exist at grassroots level')

Recently, in Europe, each league is conducting a campaign to improve the perception of racism, and famous players are publicly confessing their victims one after another, calling for a ban on racism. However, the problem of racism still persists.

However, there are lines that must be respected in freedom of expression. For malicious comments and rumors that cross the line, such as racism or demeaning family, it is necessary to provide a basis for permanent suspension of access to the stadium or even legal punishment.

Athletes teams and management should also try to improve the problem by actively raising their voices and making public debates rather than just putting up with it. We must not let the sport enjoyed by all become a stage of racism.