Club Statement – Update on alleged racism incident at Chelsea match

[mawspurs]

The Club and the Metropolitan Police have now exhausted all avenues of investigation following the reported incident at our home fixture against Chelsea on 22 December.

We carried out extensive reviews of CCTV images and footage, working with professional lip readers. All materials and reports have now also been reviewed by the police who have carried out their own investigation.

Source: Official Site

 

[JC-Rule]

Whilst this doesn't prove things, either way, my fear is that if Rudiger cried wolf here, he has opened a can of worms.

We can tell he exaggerated the kick out of Son (rightfully dismissed in my view) just to ensure he was sent off. Now it can't be proved he heard racist chants.

What happens now when a legitimate incident is to be investigated?

That's the fall out with dishonesty, it puts a cloud over right and wrong.

I'm not happy with this at all.

 

[spud]

A salutary lesson - which will no doubt go unheeded - for all of the knee-jerk reactions to this incident that we saw here and elsewhere.

 

[guiltyparty]

End of the day, and I’m really not being flippant here, there are lots of noises in a stadium that could sound like other noises. Obviously relentless usage and gestures is going to be clear but in terms of trial by noise?

It’s like, to use a case closer to home, a load of fans saying “sssssssh” as in shut up and a Spurs fan hearing it as gas noises. Some clubs and supporters obviously do do that, but a Spurs fan is going to more likely interpret that noise as something other than other clubs.

The idea that because a player is black and makes the accusation therefore it is correct is a slippery slope

 

[UbeAstard]

Whilst this doesn't prove things, either way, my fear is that if Rudiger cried wolf here, he has opened a can of worms.

We can tell he exaggerated the kick out of Son (rightfully dismissed in my view) just to ensure he was sent off. Now it can't be proved he heard racist chants.

What happens now when a legitimate incident is to be investigated?

That's the fall out with dishonesty, it puts a cloud over right and wrong.

I'm not happy with this at all.

No big deal to me, glad this ended how it did and now all allegations cant be taken for granted. Investigate and punish where found. Now anyone who had us guilty can suck on the statement.

 

[JC-Rule]

No big deal to me, glad this ended how it did and now all allegations cant be taken for granted. Investigate and punish where found. Now anyone who had us guilty can suck on the statement.

But during the time it took to clear up the stain, our beloved club took a bashing, trial by media.

many will remember the claim, fewer still will recall the outcome.

Oh well, mustn't cry over spilt milk, so in agreement with you, let's keep it moving.

 

[spud]

The Chelsea statement, as reported by the BBC, contains the following:
"We support Toni Rudiger totally and unequivocally on this matter, and as Tottenham's statement makes clear, a lack of evidence does not mean an incident did not take place.

In responding to this incident, we must be very careful about the climate we create for players who experience and report racist behaviour.

It is vitally important that we continue to encourage all players, whatever shirt they wear, to report racist abuse without fear of doubt or reprisal."

I don't think that the Spurs statement, as the Chelsea one states, 'makes clear' that a lack of evidence does not mean that an incident did not take place. The Chelsea statement, however, implies that there is no doubt that Rudiger was correct in believing that he had been racially abused and that he could not have been mistaken. Both are somewhat precarious positions for Chelsea to take considering its own fan base; and one which I hope will be quoted to them the next time one - or many - of the Chelsea neanderthals racially abuse an opponent.

 

[Japhet]

Just draw a line under it and move on or everyone will end up with egg shell stuck in their feet.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Whilst this doesn't prove things, either way, my fear is that if Rudiger cried wolf here, he has opened a can of worms.

Do I really have to say it? No, I don't think so...

 

[davidmatzdorf]

I trust Rüdiger's reaction. I also trust THFC and the police that they were unable to find evidence sufficient to identify a culprit and charge them with an offence. Sometimes offences go unpunished. Life is like that.

It doesn't have any wider significance. It's just another incident in the weekly catalogue of racist behaviour by football fans toward players, except this time the technology was insufficient to identify who did it.

Move on, world. There will be another racist incident in a week or two.

 

[FinnYid]

I trust Rüdiger's reaction. I also trust THFC and the police that they were unable to find evidence sufficient to identify a culprit and charge them with an offence. Sometimes offences go unpunished. Life is like that.

And sometimes claimed offences didn't happen. On this age of technology these kind of high profile incidents are usually caught easily and rather quickly.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

And sometimes claimed offences didn't happen. On this age of technology these kind of high profile incidents are usually caught easily and rather quickly.

Trusting Rüdiger's reaction is not based on personal experience. I didn't see or hear it, although I was there. It's a decision to trust people, not a bit of clairvoyance.

I trust women who add their voices to the "Me too" movement. I trust people who say they've been subjected to anti-semitic abuse (unless they are Israeli government ministers). I trust Black footballers who reckon they have seen racist chanting.

 

[FinnYid]

Trusting Rüdiger's reaction is not based on personal experience. I didn't see or hear it, although I was there. It's a decision to trust people, not a bit of clairvoyance.

I trust women who add their voices to the "Me too" movement. I trust people who say they've been subjected to anti-semitic abuse (unless they are Israeli government ministers). I trust Black footballers who reckon they have seen racist chanting.

You can trust, however you must also note that there are loads of false accusations on sensitive issues (for example https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_accusation_of_rape ). Now this case in all likelihood is case of misunderstanding. However as these are serious issues that have both formal and social punishment, judgements can't be passed lightly and there ought to be presumption of innocence. Now with all the CCTV, TV cameras, hostes of stewardes, camera phones and so on and yet police can't find a thing, If someone still insists there were monkey noises, well burden of proof is pretty heavy on one making the claims

 

[LeSoupeKitchen]

I trust Rüdiger's reaction. I also trust THFC and the police that they were unable to find evidence sufficient to identify a culprit and charge them with an offence. Sometimes offences go unpunished. Life is like that.

It doesn't have any wider significance. It's just another incident in the weekly catalogue of racist behaviour by football fans toward players, except this time the technology was insufficient to identify who did it.

Move on, world. There will be another racist incident in a week or two.

I wonder how strong your trust would be if you personally were accused of something like this.

I don't understand why it is not believable for some people that Rudiger misheard. It doesn't make him a liar and doesn't mean he did anything wrong.

I had a misunderstanding with an American once - a comedy situation where my British way of saying "due" was interpreted as "jew". He went away thinking I was anti-semitic and was quite offended.

We sorted it out a few days later but if he had reported me then that wouldn't have made him a liar or a person playing a race card or anything like that. Similarly I don't think it would have been unreasonable for me to clear my own name without it being victim blaming or needing to demand an apology.

 

[LeParisien]

You can trust, however you must also note that there are loads of false accusations on sensitive issues (for example https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_accusation_of_rape ).

I wonder how strong your trust would be if you personally were accused of something like this.

I know you both said other things that don’t rely on this but Rüdiger did not accuse an individual of anything. This is not a malicious allegation where an individual is likely to be harmed.

 

[LeSoupeKitchen]

I know you both said other things that don’t rely on this but Rüdiger did not accuse an individual of anything. This is not a malicious allegation where an individual is likely to be harmed.

It's definitely not a malicious allegation.

I strongly disagree that an uncorrected false accusation of racist chanting causes no harm to individuals at THFC.

 

[Jamturk]

I think an accuser needs to keep in mind the power of their accusations and be 100% sure.

They need to bear a responsibility too.

 

[UbeAstard]

But during the time it took to clear up the stain, our beloved club took a bashing, trial by media.

many will remember the claim, fewer still will recall the outcome.

Oh well, must cry over spilt milk, so in agreement with you, let's keep it moving

I think we've come out looking good.

 

[thecook]

So are SKy et al reporting that we've made a statement, or have they just closed their interest in this situation as there's no sensational news to be had out of the enquiries made?

 

[FinnYid]

I know you both said other things that don’t rely on this but Rüdiger did not accuse an individual of anything. This is not a malicious allegation where an individual is likely to be harmed.

So false claims that I was raped by group of XXXX are not harmful as they don't point directly to any individual. I must disagree on that part.