Author Topic: U.S. defender Onyewu sues over alleged racist slur (Read 6943 times)

Zeppo · « **on:** June 02, 2009, 01:14:46 PM »

Onyewu sues over alleged slur in Belgium

U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu is suing an Anderlecht player over an alleged racial insult, hoping the case will help eradicate on-field racist abuse in European soccer.

Onyewu, who plays for Standard Liege, says Anderlecht's Jelle Van Damme called him a "dirty monkey" during the Belgian league playoffs. Van Damme has denied the allegations and said he is not a racist.

Onyewu's lawyer, Jean-Louis Dupont, lodged a complaint with a Brussels court Tuesday.

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asylumseeker · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2009, 01:17:19 PM »

Quite right, Oguchi.

weary1969 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2009, 01:22:27 PM »

Quote from: asylumseeker on June 02, 2009, 01:17:19 PM

Quite right, Oguchi.

Cosign

Peter · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:05:08 PM »

This story has actually made me put aside the rivalry between us and the states in football, and I now love Oguchi Onyewu ,lol. This is a tremendous stand, and you are exemplary Onyewu, when so many others gloss over racism in european football. I'm rooting for you loudly in this. **MASSIVE BIG UPS to Onyewu!!!!**

frico · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2009, 02:32:08 AM »

Every player that has racist insult thrown at them must sue,win or lose,let it be highlighted so we know who the low-life is.

slates · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2009, 06:53:32 AM »

Yeah, big up Onyewu for pursuiing this route. I admire his resolve...

because heaven knows, if I was big like Onyewu, I think I woulda much prefer to cuff dat f*&kah in he mouth.

Somhow, as I think about it, nothing would be more gratifying on a personal level... though the best and most effective approach is big picture.

But, I woulda like to buss he 4kin mouth... I eh go lie.

kounty · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2009, 09:52:40 AM »

very good move Onyewu! very smart. very good looking at the big picture

good. well done.

fordy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2009, 09:58:47 AM »

im glad that he is taking a stand to deal with the racism in european football. sounds like a similar stand me and my teammates are currently making in a US league where racism is the only card that they can try to beat us with! we'll see how both issues turn out!

Andre · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2009, 10:34:15 AM »

And the Racist Cup goes to…

In case you weren’t aware, Standard Liege’s American defender Oguchi Onyewu is suing Anderlecht’s Belgian international Jelle Van Damme because the latter allegedly called the former a “dirty monkey” during Sunday’s Belgian league playoff match between the two clubs.

Van Damme denies the allegations, but in the high court of Wikipedia, where truth is flexible and justice is mildly retarded, he has already been declared winner of the 2009 Racist Cup. Take a look at his complete “Honours” list in the screenshot below…

http://www.dirtytackle.net/2009/06/and-the-racist-cup-goes-to/

Touches · « **Reply #9 on:** June 03, 2009, 10:41:54 AM »

Forget past experiences, the race situation as it stands and peoples experiences....Reading THIS STORY, I reading this different to the rest of you all here...lewwe discuss something.

Now while I applaud Onweyu for his stance, very commendable, perfect intention...this is very hard to prove.

It is one man "word" against another...how will this be proven if it was not heard by anyone else.

Secondly, The words/phrase in question...dirty and monkey...how will the lawyer be able to prove that these two words are racist and offensive.

He ent say Niggah, he ent say black...he ent cuss or use abusive language.

So monkey is bad word?

If anything the lawyer for the offender could cite Onweyu as having a hangup or being too sensitive.

Also too...if a verdict or judgment is passed in favor for Onweyu how would this affect the game and in future be used as a loophole to get players sent off or results overturned.

It ent nuttin for a man to go to a ref and say I get called a niggah and I am offended send him off. In fact this would be a strategy from devious players and coaches.

I ent think nuttin coming out of this. ( But dais just me).

Touches · « **Reply #10 on:** June 03, 2009, 10:51:13 AM »

Reading it again...I feel it have more to this story...onweyu want to get back at the anderlech player for something.

It have no way as a 27yr old professional player who play in EPL (was it for Newcastle), I think he play Scotland too, growing up and his national team exploits that nobody ent tell him nuttin bout he "colour" before.

Then is monkey the man whisper to him...I sure he get called worse than that in life.

It have 3 sides to a story. I awaiting the outcome of this one.

dinho · « **Reply #11 on:** June 03, 2009, 10:57:33 AM »

that monkey slur is ah big scene hoss, dont underplay that...

in europe them racist fans does be steady making monkey chants on black players, i think in that culture that carrying the same weight as calling ah man nigger in the US.

Look the other day they start that with Eto'o (or was it Pierre Webo), and he decide enough is enough and was going and walk off the field.. his teammates had to hold him back and beg him to come back on then he buss de net for good measure.

its good that Onyewu is making a stand, although you right in that it hard to prove in court. But at the very least, the publicity and attention would have an impact.

I long for the day when the coach pull his entire side off the field when that nonsense start up just to make a statement to the football world that enough is enough.

Touches · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2009, 11:08:43 AM »

Omar if Onyewu or Eto or whoever walk off the field for a whisper in the ear...then the offender who did it WIN!

You have a job to do (play yuh game on the field) you are getting paid for your services and you are representing a group of people or a nation.

by walking off the field you help none of the above.

You respond by bussing the net, keeping a clean sheet, winning the game or hit him a good "legal" blade.

asylumseeker · « **Reply #13 on:** June 03, 2009, 11:17:18 AM »

Touches, you rationalizing and simplifying this all kinda ways ...

frico · « **Reply #14 on:** June 03, 2009, 11:20:50 AM »

Quote from: slates on June 03, 2009, 06:53:32 AM

Yeah, big up Onyewu for pursuiing this route. I admire his resolve...

because heaven knows, if I was big like Onyewu, I think I woulda much prefer to cuff dat f*&kah in he mouth. Somhow, as I think about it, nothing would be more gratifying on a personal level... though the best and most effective approach is big picture.

But, I woulda like to buss he 4kin mouth... I eh go lie.

When black players re-act like that they end up worse.Some years ago Winston Davis(black Arsenal player)re-acted to Glen Cockerill racist taunts.Davis broke his jaw with a right hook and his football went down the drain,at the time he was an England potential.

dinho · « **Reply #15 on:** June 03, 2009, 11:25:59 AM »

Quote from: Touches on June 03, 2009, 11:08:43 AM

Omar if Onyewu or Eto or whoever walk off the field for a whisper in the ear...then the offender who did it WIN!

You have a job to do (play yuh game on the field) you are getting paid for your services and you are representing a group of people or a nation.

by walking off the field you help none of the above.

You respond by bussing the net, keeping a clean sheet, winning the game or hit him a good "legal" blade.

i understand the angle u coming from, but remember i was talking about fans making chants not opponents..

I was just using that example to show how badly the whole monkey slur connotation in Europe is anyway.

with regards to it coming from opponent, you would note that Onyewu did not react during the game, but decide to pursue it afterwards (thus the opponent didn't "win" in the game).

I think its about time that players stand up and take action since its obvious that the bodies responsible for marshalling this kinda thing not really interested in effecting change. People like FIFA and the league associations dragging dey foot and need to move beyond paltry fines and wrist slaps to more severe punishments if true change hadda come about.

Zeppo · « **Reply #16 on:** June 03, 2009, 11:45:49 AM »

legal alien · « **Reply #17 on:** June 03, 2009, 12:25:18 PM »

First of all, I wanted to joke that Onyewu feel because he American he will get special attention for this.But I'm black so I know this is a serious issue.
Touches, I usually like your posts for their rationality ,but I'll tell you, a black man being called a nonkey is offensive.If you out here in america living awhile(as i am ) you'll know that.Anyone call me that I will want to knock him out. white people in america know they have to think twice before they use that term. maybe inEurope they go be more brave because they think europe is for whites only.never been there though.It suggests we being infereior, less than human. Now I understand felas can say things in the heat of a game , but there is a problem if a player or a supporter call you something that boils down to believing that you're nothing but a monkey who happens to be able to play football

Mango Chow! · « **Reply #18 on:** June 03, 2009, 12:57:09 PM »

I was never a fan of Onyewu as a footballer before I found out about this. I still am not, but he has my utmost respect. The kind of courage it is taking him to make this stand in an arena he likely knows he isn't going to win in in the short term, is beyond comendable. Many white people in the world today probably do or seem to want to move past the past actions of "their kind." But nobody wants to be the one rocking the boat. Many seem to want to forget about it and others want it to continue. It's not always an easy thing to discuss or debate but change will never come unless people find it within themselves to purge their hearts and minds of centuries-old indoctrination and see a Black man as his/her equal. Therefore, it may take a while for the necessary change to come about in Europe because the Black Man is not as "accomplished" or high positioned or highly regarded in the framework of European society to have a voice or to have representation that can affect that necessary change. Even some Black people are too lost to be able to discuss racism and its harmful effects on all facets of society, including sport, including football.

ZANDOLIE · « **Reply #19 on:** June 03, 2009, 02:21:53 PM »

Apparently Anderlecht is paying Van Damme's legal bill. Racism may never be eradicated but hurling racist invective should sure as hell be expensive. If the clubs have to pay for the stupidity of their players and fans all that nonsense will get cleaned up toute suite.

just cool · « **Reply #20 on:** June 03, 2009, 02:36:22 PM »

Them white boy in foreign love tuh call man monkey , but they should take ah good look in the mirror before they take dat step BC to me them have more monkey trait than blackman!

they eh have no lips, they have hair all over they body, they rythemless and clumsey like monkey and they bottom flat like monkey bottom. sttuueepppsss! if they only knew, they would chill wid dat monkey talk.

WestCoast · « **Reply #21 on:** June 03, 2009, 02:43:17 PM »

Quote from: just cool on June 03, 2009, 02:36:22 PM

Them white boy in foreign love tuh call man monkey , but they should take ah good look in the mirror before they take dat step BC to me them have more monkey trait than blackman!

they eh have no lips, they have hair all over they body, they rythemless and clumsey like monkey and they bottom flat like monkey bottom. sttuueepppsss! if they only knew, they would chill wid dat monkey talk.

eh heh
case in point
http://www.bushorchimp.com/

serious: very poor attempt at Sledging/Banter indeed

DeSoWa · « **Reply #22 on:** June 03, 2009, 02:43:33 PM »

ah doh think it have anything to do with features...just colour and origin..dais all.

Big Up!

Trini _2026 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 03, 2009, 02:47:17 PM »

A "dirty monkey" and touches you trying to down play dat? Belgium has is issues remember what Jan micheal Williams encountered when we went for a night out with his teamates

asylumseeker · « **Reply #24 on:** June 03, 2009, 03:01:31 PM »

Quote from: legal alien on June 03, 2009, 12:25:18 PM

First of all, I wanted to joke that Onyewu feel because he American he will get special attention for this.But I'm black so I know this is a serious issue.
Touches, I usually like your posts for their rationality ,but I'll tell you, a black man being called a nonkey is offensive.If you out here in america living awhile(as i am ) you'll know that.Anyone call me that I will want to knock him out. white people in america know they have to think twice before they use that term. maybe inEurope they go be more brave because they think europe is for whites only.never been there though.It suggests we being infereior, less than human. Now I understand felas can say things in the heat of a game , but there is a problem if a player or a supporter call you something that boils down to believing that you're nothing but a monkey who happens to be able to play football

Onyewu holds Belgian citizenship.

Touches · « **Reply #25 on:** June 03, 2009, 03:58:44 PM »

Again let me clarify.

Onweyu is correct in standing up for himself, highlighting the issue and trying to eradicate the mindset and behaviour of his fellow players.

I am not trying to trivialize the racism issue at hand, however bad it is in whichever country or the personal experience that readers themselves have been subjected to.

What I am merely pointing out is that I think his allegations are difficult to prove, additionally it was stated that he indicated the behaviour to the referee...who did nothing...additionally "Omar" the point about him not doing anything during the game is incorrect please read...

Quote

In three separate incidents during the tense 1-1 draw, Onyewu claims Van Damme called him a "monkey." Onyewu alerted the referee but the match was not interrupted. At one point, Onyewu threatened to leave the field but "the teammates convinced him to stay," his court complaint said.

The referee could have given the offending player a card for unsportsmanlike conduct but if he didn't hear it himself then how could he make that call....thus is play on and get on with the game.

If Onyewu left the field then that is a situation he, his teammates and the coach hadda deal with while the game going on.

Also hear me out....a word is only offensive, if you the person chooses it to be so. A word has no power over a person...it is your mental filter and perception of the word that makes it so. For example..calling a someone a niggah depending on who said it, the tone and the situation can be a term of endearment or it can be an insult. If you have no knowledge of the connotation of a word it simply...IS.

Thus I think it would be difficult in this context for Onyewu, a) he have to prove the man said the word, b) He have to show that culturally the word is offensive) c) He have to show that the offenders actions were unsportsmanlike and unbecoming...thus making it a punishable offence.

A good lawyer could spin this both ways and could even make Onyewu look bad.

Again maybe the offender know what he was doing, knew that calling the man monkey go trip him off and onyewu stop studying football and get throw off...the offender has accomplished his task and thrown off the player...personal battle Won.

Awaiting the outcome of this one.

Monkey know what tree to climb not so?

just cool · « **Reply #26 on:** June 03, 2009, 04:49:11 PM »

Quote from: DeSoWa on June 03, 2009, 02:43:33 PM

ah doh think it have anything to do with features...just colour and origin..dais all.

Big Up!

You mad ah what!That's exactly what it is!! remember black ppl range in colour from charcoal black tuh almost white, if it's colour then why they doh call indians monkey? indians have the same colouring as blackman, plus, have yuh ever seen onyewo? the man red till he white.

i know for a fact that white man feel they better looking and smarter than black ppl, that's why they always talking dat monkey talk.

breds, remember i lived amongst the most racist fellas in the union, yes white southerners and midwesterners in the military, so i got it live and direct! dem fellas was not hidding their feeling nah, they tell it like it is!!

so stop being so pragmatic, the truth is the only thing yuh should be afraid to offend.

ribbit · « **Reply #27 on:** June 03, 2009, 07:14:39 PM »

what kind of punishment the court could give? a suspension or fine? that is just money - why onyewu want to put a price on his dignity? this shouldn't be pursued through the courts atall.

fordy · « **Reply #28 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:16:17 AM »

Quote from: fordy on June 03, 2009, 09:58:47 AM

im glad that he is taking a stand to deal with the racism in european football. sounds like a similar stand me and my teammates are currently making in a US league where racism is the only card that they can try to beat us with! we'll see how both issues turn out!

Well fellas i havent heard an update to the Onyewu situation, but we have our verdict in our case, and yes racism wins again!!!! You have no idea how fumed and upset i am at this point....lord knows violence is at the top of my agenda currently!!! Let me give you guys the scenario as to what played off.

We are a majority Caribbean team playing in the Cobb Amatear Soccer League. When we joined the league some years ago they placed us in division 3. We have won our way to Division 2 and this year we won the league to be promoted to D1. Last Sunday we had our quarter final game against a team comprised of Whites. Since our inception the league has tried everything to get us out or made it difficult for us to play games on a regular basis. For example, the Fall half of the league, all other teams played 7 games we only played 3. One game an official was quoted as saying that "I am not officiating this game because this game looks like its going to be a rough one". This was a white female official. One of the sideline officials was not there as yet but the game can proceed with 2 officials if need be. She saw us warming up and made that determination. Anyhow, weeks before the game ever played, we protested the assignment of a referee to that game, but we never received any word as to our protest. This ref has a very bad history with our team...we have had at least 4 games with him that he ensured we lost by making late bad calls or we had players injured by his no calls for other teams tackles on us. Sunday arrived and he is the official. The team we are playing found some new players...not sure if they were registered in time...but they definitely brought improvements for us. Mind you, the referee assignor for the league is affiliated to the team we are playing against...a notion known by everyone. At the half they leading 1-0...a legit goal. However, we got no calls....any shoulder to shoulder we initiated was called against us. Any tackle against us was allowed...one of our defenders received a nasty tackle on his ankle....he is in a cast suffering from an ankle fracture currently...ref didnt not call it as a foul.

At the start of the 2nd half we started doing our thing...playing our brand of ball...the opponents getting frustrated and lashing out at us physically. Anytime we try to hint at retaliating we get cards and calls against us. We ended up scoring twice to make the game 2-1. The last ten minutes we did not get a call....the linesman even signalled the ball for us on three occassions and the referee over ruled him in favor of the next team on all occassions. Last minute of the game, the game has stopped because the ref is about to make his 3rd over rule. Our sweeper has the ball in his hand. When we recognise the overturn of the call he rolls the ball to the ref. The striker from their team apparently didnt like that so he kicks our sweeper on the knee. Our guy asked him wat de hell was that. His response was that you are a big black fella..that didnt hurt you so stop whinning. The corner comes in and we clear it....as the teams are running out of the box, our sweeper headbutts the guy on his temple...the opposing players then punches our player at the back of the head. At this time the sweeper decides ok he done with all that foolishness. Minutes later the ref reluctantly blows off the game and we won 2-1. While shaking hands the opposing striker goes to my sweeper and makes a sacaristic remark and offers a hand shake at the same time. My sweeper tells him he's not shaking his hand. The opposing player then grabs his shirt....my sweeper floors him with a right hook...and then all players...including their spectators stormed the field.

At this point its a scene on the field. Honestly speaking most of the players who ran back onto the field are trying to break up the fight instead of contributing to it. While we are seperating the fight one of their players walks up to our manager, in plain sight of the ref, and says "YOU f**kING NIGGAS DONT DESERVE TO WIN NO CHAMPIONSHIP". My manager then turns to the ref and says you need to do something about that because he wont stand for that kinda language. The ref turns and says "He wasnt talking to you he was talking to me". Mind you the ref is white so thats bullshit. My manager insists further and the ref gives their player a red card. At the end of it all, our sweeper didnt get a card, another one of our players who was not involved in the fight got red carded and another one of their players received the same as well.

We received an email on Monday night saying that we have a semi final game on Wednesday night. Minutes later we get another email saying that we have been disqualified from the league based on the events on Sunday. They gave us a hearing yesterday, which we attented (mind you the panel is comprised of 6 white men and one black guy). We presented evidence and documents to show that we do not deserve to be disqualified from the knock out. Coming down to the end of the hearing we had panel members agreeing with our points of view. This morning we received an email saying that the ruling stands and we are disqualified from the tournament. Mind you there was no team that was going to win the cash prize but us....and that was even said by one of the panel members last night.

It's really a sad day when the color of your skin and the sound of your voice is used as a weapon against you in today's society. At this point I'm not sure what the next course of action is going to be. So, Onyewu fighting racism in Europe but he shud probably take a look at his homeland as well cause right here in good old Cobb County in Georgia, the rebel flag flies high and proud and racism is the weapon to perpetrate their crimes against minorities in society!!! Pure f**kery!!!!

ZANDOLIE · « **Reply #29 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:24:24 AM »

Quote from: ribbit on June 03, 2009, 07:14:39 PM

what kind of punishment the court could give? a suspension or fine? that is just money - why onyewu want to put a price on his dignity? this shouldn't be pursued through the courts atall.

Just money? Yuh forget these teams are ALL about money. They not i the game for the love of the game. And money will change their attitude faster than the toothless, meaningless nods to 'anti-racism'.

Onyewu is not putting a price on his digntiy, he is putiing a price on ignorance and stupidity.