[AlexB]

While there is a clear problem with both conscious and subconscious discrimination in football, which is itself reflective of society, I don’t believe that this particular incident was an example of racism.

I’ve kept quiet until there’s someone active against racism who can argue this on my behalf (as a middle class white man I’m not really in a position to take the lead), so can now agree with the ex England international John Barnes’ tweets @officialbarnesy, and similar perspectives from other black footballers who have been on sports radio today.

What John Barnes doesn’t seem to be saying though is that maybe this incident (albeit one I believe to be misunderstood) was the straw that broke the camel’s back. In isolation I put this down to a misunderstanding over a foreign language, but at the time, with Webo and Ba believing they heard something different, I can understand why they reacted they way they did.

I’ve had bad days where something relatively innocuous has set me off: I can’t imagine the multiplier effect of having been regularly discriminated against for a lifetime.

I hope calm heads prevail, I hope the 4th official is able to get on with his life and career, and at the same I hope that the universal collectiveness that has sprung up is maintained, and positive change is the end result of this (IMO) misunderstanding