Why do some football fans think that the misogynist song is fine?

In Domingo’s Derby Old Trafford, Phil Foden de Manchester City was attacked by some United fans singing highly abusive songs about his mother.

Foden’s manager, Pep Guardiola, hastened to speak after the game.

“Honestly, I don’t understand the minds of people involving Phil’s mother,” he said.

“It is a lack of integrity, class, and they should be ashamed.”

But why is the misogyno song occurring at all, and is given the The decision of the Football Association (FA) of not acting After the game in Manchester, is it being taken seriously?

Dr. Mike Hope, from the University of Keele, is an expert in football surveillance and crowd behavior.

Before moving to the Academy, he spent 23 years as a police officer, finally arriving at the inspector range with the Devon & Cornwall police.

He spent a lot of time as an “observer”, watching known problems, gathering operational intelligence and helping to calm possible inflammation points in football games.

Dr. Hope is part of the University Qualification projectwhich brings together seven police forces, football clubs and government bodies.

He says that his goal is to make football surveillance “more effective, reduce disorder and improve relationships between fans and police.”

Dr. Hope thinks that the abuse suffered by Foden can be explained, although not justified, by a combination of factors.

He points out that while the song was widely condemned, “for some people it could be seen as acceptable jokes.”

The former striker of the city of Watford and Birmingham, Troy Deeney, told Talksport: “I take the PEP point, but it’s a derby, people are emotional.

“We must not accept it, but it has been happening since the beginning of time.

“Unfortunately, it is part of the game, it is what it is.”

Deeney said that former Chelsea and Italy eaves, Gianfranco Zola, had once told the players “were paid for not having feelings.”

However, very few people would be prepared to shout verbal abuse in strangers in a park, street or supermarkets.

So what does football have? Why do some fans originate the songs and why do many more come together?

“It’s about expressing his identity as fans, as a collective,” says Dr. Hope before adding that this felt more intense in some areas of stadiums than in others.

All soccer fields have sections in which the most vocal fans congregate, not only in Britain, but in continental Europe, where groups known as “ultras” sit and join.

While these fans generate much of the atmosphere in games that are valued so highly by other followers and emitters equally, Dr. Hope thinks that sometimes they can horcated in the limits of what is considered socially and legally acceptable.

“Fans distract and intimidate opposition players, even more in derbies, and this is where the line can be trampled,” he says.

In addition, some people may feel “empowered” to be part of a multitude of thousands.

Dr. Hope also thinks that some fans are “trapped at the time” during the games and, if they were given time to reflect, many of them would change their views on where to draw the line between jokes and abuse.

Thanks to the strongest application and a better education, Dr. Hope says that the levels of racism we saw in the seventies and 80 have been significantly reduced within the stadiums.

He says that we have “seen a similar trip” in recent years when it comes to homophobia on the terraces.

The song of the tragedy, when the rival fans make fun of each other on tragedies such as the 1989 Hillsborough disaster or Munich’s air disaster in 1958, is also in decrease, according to Dr. Hope.

While they recognize that some isolated incidents still occur, he believes that most fans “monitor themselves”, for example, not joining offensive songs.

“When they do not get involved, there is a lack of traction for singing to win control,” he explains.

Dr. Hope says that “a lot of work” has been done to identify and process criminals (for example through high -definition CCTV cameras) and better educate fans.

He also points out that it has never been easier for fans to discreetly inform offensive and abusive or singing behavior, for example, sending text messages to the club about the block, the row and the seat of those who cause problems.

In simple language, Dr. Hope says: “You can report concerns now so that you will not risk putting your head.”

Misoginia and sexism do not exist in a vacuum, argues Dr. Hope.

“The problems are throughout society, but football is a vehicle through which they are exposed.

“FA, clubs, the Premier League … and the police have roles to perform both in education and application, for example, by clubs that broadcast prohibitions, police measures that are being taken.”

Ultimately, he argues that a combination of education and application is key.

Dr. Hope says that the information sessions of the police parties increasingly consider the need for officers and soccer clubs to take into account misogyny and violence against women and girls.

He says that now there is much more awareness and emphasis on these areas of discrimination, in addition to a greater approach to safeguard.

FA rules prohibit the abusive song and discriminatory behavior of fans.

The E20 rule clubs are responsible for ensuring that their supporters “refrain from inappropriate behavior”, which includes “a reference, either express or implicitly to any or more of the following: ethnic origin, color, race, nationality, religion or belief, gender, gender reallocation, sexual orientation or disability.”

The FA says that it investigates all the accusations of discriminatory behavior by the spectators. Their rules also say that a club is “probable” to face disciplinary actions if there is “sufficient evidence of mass discriminatory song.”

However, no action against Manchester United is placed on Foden abuse.

The BBC understands that the songs would have been considered discriminatory if they had been addressed to a player.

But since they were aimed at a non -participant in the game [Foden’s mother] The rule does not apply.

In light of what happened in Old Trafford and the consequent consequences, Dr. Hope believes that FA can review its definitions.

Hollie Varney, director of Operations of the Antidiscriminatory Group in the Sports Group, believes that a much stronger action is needed to address sexism and misogyny.

She told the BBC: “We have seen several incidents of massive sexist and misogynist singing in male football this season, but too often the football response falls short.

“Sexism is not ‘jokes.

In February, the organization’s executive director, Samuel Okafor, said the investigation he had done with 1,500 football female.

“One in four still feels insecure going to the games and 52% said they experienced sexism within a stadium,” he said.

“There is still a lot of cultural work to make the game more inclusive.”

However, measures can be taken.

In November 2023, two fans were arrested for directing misogynist abuse in referee Rebecca Welch during the Birmingham City Championship match against Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrew’s.

Finally, the two teenagers were referred to the education of fans and the commitment manager of Dad Iut Out, Alan Bush.

“I’m looking to change your behavior and change your attitude,” he said.

“I use many reflexive questions, for example: ‘If that were your sister or your grandmother and were at the end of that kind of abuse, how would you feel?’

“I take them to a point where I begin to dismantle their attitudes and views.”