Comments on: FA Defends Mike Riley

By: Alan Hylands

Alan Hylands — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 17:58:55 +0000

As far as I’m aware homosexuals aren’t particularly predisposed to cheating at football games so Mr Batkov’s homophobic comments against Mike Riley are just as disgusting as his fans’ chanting.

The video clearly shows that Riley made yet another inept, blatantly wrong decision and I have no words to describe the dreadfulness of his refereeing career. I hinestly don’t think he was bowing to the pressure of the wealthier club, I just think Mike Riley isn’t a very good referee and shouldn’t be given control of games of this magnitude in the future.

Still no excuse for thinking of the worst slur he could muster and eventually thinking that calling him a homosexual would be the worst thing he could say. I’m glad we’re a little more progressive in the UK…

By: Inspect

Inspect — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 16:02:38 +0000

Dear Alan,

I am not trying to defend in any way the racist chanting of some of the Levski supporters. Please don’t get me wrong. You are right - there is NO EXCUSE. But there is also NO EXCUSE for “demeaning another human being” because of their origin. And this is in my opinion what happened that day. Riley was obviously supporting the wealthier team. Just take a look at the red card situation: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3533161640095747876&q=levski&pl=true

Once again - my idea was not to palliate or defend racism. My post was motivated by the wrong interpretation of Mr. Batkov’s words. He didn’t call Riley homosexual for informing UEFA about the monkey sounds, but for ruining the fair play and pre-determining the outcome.

By: Alan Hylands

Alan Hylands — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 07:22:02 +0000

Inspect: The “least they could do” to show their frustration at a referee who gave decisions against them was to direct monkey chants at a player simply because of the colour of his skin? What an enlightened individual you are.

Sit down and think about what you’ve written here and if this is your honest opinion and view on racist chanting then please don’t come back to State of the Game. I don’t want people like you even reading what gets written on my website if that is how you view the world.

There is NO EXCUSE whatsoever for monkey chants, throwing bananas, using derogatory namecalling or any other means of demeaning another human being because of the colour of their skin - end of story.

By: Inspect

Inspect — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 13:09:00 +0000

A Bulgarian football team lost a UEFA cup match because of a ?homosexual? referee, according to the Levski Sofia team president.

Todor Batkov called Mike Riley a homosexual after he sent off one of his side?s strikers in an eventual loss to German club Schalke in the quarter finals of the European competition.

Mr Batkov said: “This British homosexual broke the game.”

Mr Riley was blamed after sending off Levski player, Sedrik Bardon, which led to a surrender of their 1-0 lead to finish the game 3-1 down.

The dismissal also shocked Bulgarian sport commentators and was seen as controversial by the head of the Bulgarian football union, Borisslav Mihaylov, he said: “The red card practically doomed the game.”

By: Inspect

Inspect — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 13:04:49 +0000

I would suggest all of you defending M.R. to watch the game first. I am not trying to excuse what Mr. Batkov said. But in one way he was right. Mike Riley ruined the game. Levski was 1:0 ahead and about to score more and Riley gave red card to the Levski midfielder Bardon for no reason. Everyone in the stadium and on TV saw that there was no body contact in this situation. And just 5 minutes before this he saved Schalke’s Larsen second yellow and red card for an aggressive tackle from behind just outside the penalty area.
You can imagine how outraged everyone in the stadium was. The least they could do was shouting ‘UH-UH-UH-UH’ at Asamoah who gave them the finger.

By: JackP

JackP — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 12:00:55 +0000

Well done Mike Riley. I hadn’t heard about that but I would back him 100% in this case. Dammit, I’m not meant to agree with referees….

By: Alan Hylands

Alan Hylands — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 16:45:42 +0000

Racism seems to be an increasingly European-wide problem and hopefully the new measures from FIFA and UEFA will help to stamp it back out again. The less we see and hear of it the better obviously.

I can’t comment on Mr. Riley’s “persuasions” but the pettiness of the Levski Sofia president in coming out with such a statement shows the problems UEFA face in trying to govern the game over the whole region.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 16:39:43 +0000

Well done Mike Riley (never thought I’d be saying that).

Those countries/clubs/individuals who still regard racist chanting as acceptable need to be brought into line with the 21st Century and I’m glad UEFA have finally put up the backing necessary to stamp out this idiocy.

As for the “British Homosexual” slur I hope that brings another hefty punishment on the incredibly backward Todor Batkov.