AN FA probe into racist abuse at a university football match was shrugged off by one Oxford Brookes student as ‘amusing’ and an attempt by the opposing side ‘at retribution’.
Staffordshire University futsal goalkeeper Mohit Godwani was called a ‘f***ing black keeper’ by drunk students supporting the Oxford Brookes side at a match on November 7 last year.
Brookes, which accepted the goalkeeper had been subjected to racist language, said harassment or abuse of any type had ‘no place’ at the university.
The Football Association’s Serious Case Panel fined the Brookes team £75 and docked it seven league table points.
In a recently-published disciplinary report, FA adjudicator Richard Stubbs said that the racially-charged comments were aggravated by the ‘apparent lack of contrition from the Oxford Brookes supporters’.
He noted the words of one Brookes fan, a Thomas Lewis, who provided a statement for the Association’s panel.
Mr Stubbs wrote: “Mr Lewis states that ‘it is amusing that after a tough-to-take defeat, and their players giving just as much verbal abuse, if not more, they throw racism claims our way as their attempt at retribution’.
“I do not share Mr Lewis’ amusement and note that the claims were raised during the game and are admitted by Oxford Brookes.”
File image of Oxford Brookes University
The Staffordshire goalkeeper, Mr Godwani, told the game’s referee that he had been called a ‘f***ing black keeper’ by some of the Brookes spectators.
Although the referee did not hear the remark, he was aware of a group of Oxford supporters ‘who were rowdy and were jeering and sarcastically clapping the opposition to wind them up’.
The referee spoke to the rowdy fans after being told of the racist remark. The group moved from the pitch to the bar.
The Brookes team captain and two other students told the FA panel in emails that they did not hear any racist comment being made.
However, Oxford Brookes University accepted the charge.
In a statement, a spokesman said: “Harassment or abuse of any type has no place at Oxford Brookes.
“As part of our commitment to maintaining an inclusive and respectful culture in all areas of university life, we are currently reviewing behaviour and practices within Brookes Sport, including all clubs, to ensure that policies and practices promote the culture, behaviours and values we expect of all our students.
“We have written to all student athletes to remind them of our behaviour expectations, including friends attending events as spectators.
“If any of our students, staff or our wider community, have concerns about behaviour or practices in any aspect of University life, we would encourage them to report them via our dedicated University reporting tool, which can be done anonymously if preferred.”
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