Jason Roberts refusing to wear kick it out tshirt

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19994204

Reading striker Jason Roberts will not wear a 'Kick It Out' T-shirt in protest at what he perceives to be the campaign group's lack of action in combating racism in football.

Kick It Out's annual week of action starts on Thursday and players have traditionally worn shirts promoting it.

But referring to incidents involving John Terry and Luis Suarez, Roberts told BBC Sport: "I won't wear one.

"I find it hard to wear a T-shirt after what has happened in the last year."

“I think people feel let down by what used to be called 'Let's Kick Racism Out of Football'
”

"I'm totally committed to kicking racism out of football but when there's a movement I feel represents the issue in the way that speaks for me and my colleagues, then I will happily support it.

"I think people feel let down by what used to be called 'Let's Kick Racism Out of Football'. People don't feel like they have been strong enough.

"Unless they're independent, unless they don't have to explain their actions to anyone then they won't be held accountable."
Roberts said the football authorities had been "complacent" in their fight against racism.

And he believes that European governing body Uefa will not take adequate action after Danny Rose claimed he was racially abused in an England Under-21 game against Serbia on Tuesday.

"Uefa will sweep it under the carpet," he added, before saying it would take players walking off the pitch for any meaningful action to be taken.

"If Danny Rose, who I think acted excellently in the whole thing, and his team-mates walk off the pitch when they first hear racist abuse, guaranteed Uefa will start to change things."

Roberts said Terry's apology for racially abusing Ferdinand had come "a year too late".

He also feels the Football Association was lenient in its punishment of the former England skipper.

"The four-match ban was, for me, not a heavy enough sanction for what happened.

"I'm not happy. Certainly they should have given him a longer ban. The sanction is nowhere near harsh enough."

Can't say I blame him.

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19994204



Can't say I blame him.

Always comes across pretty well. For those who are sick of the sight of Clarke Carlisle.

Alan Brazil just asked Clarke Carlisle on the radio if he thought that Terry was a racist and he bottled it

Originally Posted by elephantstone

Alan Brazil just asked Clarke Carlisle on the radio if he thought that Terry was a racist and he bottled it

Stupid question. Not the point and how would Carlisle know?

Like the Suarez affair, he's not been accused of being a racist, just using racist language in a specific incident

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Always comes across pretty well. For those who are sick of the sight of Clarke Carlisle.

Trust me. The bloke is an absolute @#%&!.

Originally Posted by PaulParkersPubes

Trust me. The bloke is an absolute @#%&!.

PPP is Jason Roberts?

Originally Posted by PaulParkersPubes

Trust me. The bloke is an absolute @#%&!.

I operate on the assumption that every professional footballer is an absolute @#%&!. However as JC said he does always come across pretty well.

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

I operate on the assumption that every professional footballer is an absolute @#%&!. However as JC said he does always come across pretty well.

Same here. I also assume they're a thick £#%&!er. It makes a post match interview with a player who can string three words together without falling over pleasantly surprising.

I really can't wait to see the first team walk off the pitch in response to racist chanting. Long overdue imo. £#%&! Uefa.

like Roberts, decent player too. Lets Kick Lip Service out of Football.

Terry is the most vile character to have ever played football (at any level) nqat.

Originally Posted by TripDownMiseryLane

like Roberts, decent player too. Lets Kick Lip Service out of Football.

Terry is the most vile character to have ever played football (at any level) nqat.

And he has competiton

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

And he has competiton

Yep. And have you heard some of Suarez's political views?

Originally Posted by BryanRobson'sLiver

And he has competiton

No doubt, that's why he has to be at the top of his vile game at all times, which fair play to him, he usually is.

SSN have a breaking news banner telling us that United will be wearing the t-shirts. I love it when they consider breaking news to be things that are going to happen are still happening.

Originally Posted by TripDownMiseryLane

Terry is the most vile character to have ever played football (at any level) nqat.

New to Luis Suarez pol?

Originally Posted by Switching Off

New to Luis Suarez pol?

I realise there is a hell of a lot of competition for the title, but that is what JT is all about innit, will always pull a new low out of the bag when its most needed.

Peoples champion, while Lucifer is an unquestionable @#%&! of the highest order, is he a true blue Lionheart?

Joleon Lescott has refused to have anything to do with the Kick it Out campaign for years now.

That spirit was evident when allegations were made against Emre that he had racially abused Joseph Yobo. Lescott says he heard something and so did Tim Howard. So convinced were they of the Turkey midfielder’s guilt that they travelled to York to give evidence to the independent commission.

There was, however, a problem, something Newcastle’s legal team seized on. There was a slight discrepancy in the evidence submitted by the two Everton players as to what they thought Emre had said. In the end, the commission was ‘not satisfied that the charge was proved’ and the case was dropped.

‘I’ve not worn a Kick It Out T-shirt since,’ says Lescott.

‘And I haven’t smiled for the anti-racism campaign photographs we’ve posed for as a team, either. I just thought the whole thing was badly handled.

‘There was so much made of what wasn’t said rather than what was said. Me and Tim Howard went and gave evidence and yet we weren’t allowed any representatives. The player involved was — he had a whole legal team. But we were just there on our own.

‘Tim and I were walking away in different directions when it was said but look at the way we both reacted, at exactly the same time. We’ve heard something and it’s not like we’ve heard black and white. What we claimed was said wasn’t that different.

‘I was disappointed with everyone involved. We were told it would take a couple of days for them to review all the evidence at the hearing in York and I hadn’t even got home when it was announced that he had been cleared. I just thought, “Stuff it”. I’m not getting involved in the campaign again.’

It's all Liverpools fault. Scumbags!

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Yep. And have you heard some of Suarez's political views?

Yes but his wife is Uruguayan so he can't be racist.

Originally Posted by DuanePipe

Joleon Lescott has refused to have anything to do with the Kick it Out campaign for years now.

I remember that. There was no poisonous invective from Newcastle about Everton making it all up to get at them. Which is odd, as this appears to be considered normal behaviour in such circumstances.