By Andrew Warshaw
April 1 – One of the first reported cases of racism within the senior European women’s game has led UEFA to open disciplinary proceedings after claims that Frankfurt fans abused Rosengard players during their Women’s Champions League quarter-final.
The referee’s report cited that the Swedish side’s forward Gaelle Enganamouit was abused, with the official stopping the game in order to restore control. The case is due to be heard on April 5.
“If it was racist, it’s very disappointing,” Rosengard and England defender Anita Asante told the BBC. “It’s an important thing that UEFA have decided to investigate it. It shows they are taking it seriously and they don’t really want it to become the part of the women’s game.
“It’s not so usual that it happens, I’ve never really experienced a situation where this has become such a hot topic.”
Asante said she thought the booing against Cameroon international Enganamouit and Brazil’s former world player of the year Marta during the second leg of the tie in Germany was because of their talent, only learning afterwards that the incident was allegedly race-related.
“The referee stopped the game, spoke with some officials and we continued the game as normal, unaware of what was going on,” she said. “Everybody should work to eradicate discriminatory behaviour from the sport. We don’t want what’s occurred on a wide scale in the men’s game to trickle into the women’s game.”
Enganamouit confirmed she was aware of the chanting. “Yes, I heard what they were shouting,” she told Swedish website Sydsvenskan. “I did not care. Such is football, and when you want to be the best, you must turn your head. I have not faced it before.”
Rosengard’s coach Jack Majgaard Jensen condemned the alleged racist behaviour after his side had lost 5-4 on penalties to the four-time winners of the competition.
“It’s f****** sad,” he was quoted as saying. “Especially when it’s at a player who has done so much for female football,” he said. “It’s clear they were booing and screaming, but when it becomes racist, and it’s personal, it does not belong in football.”
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