Abstract
Over the last few decades racism has been criminalised within English football. New offences have been created that outlaw racist abuse within stadia and there is considerable evidence that police and stewards enforce these prohibitions. In addition, formal and informal campaigns run by football authorities, clubs and supporters have created an environment where racism is now normatively unacceptable. Collectively, however, these developments represent an ambiguous progress. The ‘victory’ of antiracism is hollow because it has developed as part of a wider transformation of football into a commodified spectacle. Clashes between elite sportsmen involving racism are condemned in the context of their status as celebrities – icons who have transgressed. Other problems within the game that might be associated with racism – most obviously the continuing under-representation of Asian people as players and of all BME communities in non-playing roles – remain largely unaddressed. Where once the game was innovative and at the forefront of antiracism campaigns it now risks becoming complacent unless a broader understanding of institutional aspects of racism are addressed.