Is Suarez really guilty of racism?
Frequent visitors to Translation Blog will know that I am partial to writing about translation and the use of language in football; and thank the beautiful game for being so topical in this respect on a semi-regular basis. On this occasion, the topic is based on a cultural argument rather than misinterpretation.After a two month investigation by the English FA, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. Obviously feelings surrounding the decision are mixed. Liverpool FC released a statement outlining that they were “very disappointed” in the ruling, however I’m sure United fans up and down the land welcomed the news with open arms.
I am sure the FA have carried out a thorough investigation, based on the facts that have been released to the media, and my relatively extensive knowledge of footballing history, I can see both sides of the argument.
The argument from Suarez and Liverpool was that the term in question, “El Negrito” does not always carry negative connotations when used in South America, which is where the Uruguayan lived until moving to the Netherlands when he was 19. According to Tim Vickers from BBC sport, “Among Suarez’s team-mates these days is Maxi Pereira, who is known as “El Mono” – the monkey. It is a nickname which, apparently, is given and accepted with no offence meant or taken. It appears to be used in the same spirit that Alvaro Fernandez is called “El Flaco”, which means skinny.” When you learn of this context it is easy to see why a shadow of doubt has been cast upon the accusations.
Football, for those involved both on and off the pitch, is a game filled with high emotion, and it would not be the first time a player has overstepped the mark in the heat of the moment. But Suarez only came to England in the early part of 2011. So is it conceivable that when under pressure the cultural difference in language terms are forgotten, or is 11 months in a country enough time to expect someone to adjust to social norms?