West Ham's Winston Reid condemns football fans' racism
Wednesday 25 February 2015 10:57, UK
West Ham defender Winston Reid says there can be 'no excuses' for any football fan making racist chants.
Police are currently investigating video footage which has emerged allegedly showing West Ham fans singing anti-Semitic songs before their 2-2 Premier League draw at Tottenham on Sunday.
The footage and subsequent complaint made by anti-racism and discrimination organisation Kick It Out came just days after Police announced they were hunting several alleged Chelsea supporters who prevented a black man from entering a train on the Paris Metro following their Champions League tie at Paris St Germain.
Reid, who is expected to leave West Ham when his contract expires at the end of the season, told Fanbookz.com: "What happened on the Metro in Paris was absolutely unacceptable and it was a shame because there is so much work that gets put into eradicating it from the game that it simply shouldn’t happen.
“Ultimately no one wants to go to a football match where stupid people are saying stupid stuff. It only takes three or four people to ruin it for two or three thousand.
“As a player I’ve not experienced any fans chanting racism towards me but it has to be something that football continues to address and will hopefully end one day.
“The positive thing is that the issue in general is getting better. There are fewer incidents cases and the number of campaigns that are trying to tackle the issue seems to be having an effect.
“We are a lot further along than 20 years ago, and social media is making it easy for people to see who is responsible. Hopefully the work that organisations like the PFA do means that one day the issue won’t be an issue at all.”
