Why punishment alone cannot eradicate racism

Thursday 29th April was not a good day for our sport. Hull FC forward Andre Savelio accused Wigan's Tony Clubb of using a racist slur during the two sides Super League match. Today, Tony Clubb was found guilty and suspended for 8 matches.

Let's start with an obvious point. Anyone found guilty of directing racist language towards anyone in a rugby league game should be punished heavily. Discrimination of all forms remains all too prevalent in our society and we must take whatever necessary action to eliminate it.

Clubb was given a 'Grade F' charge, which sees an 8 match suspension as a minimum recommended starting point. The minimum recommended suspension was imposed. 

It is always sensible to await the full remarks of the panel before casting a full judgement. However, an RFL statement suggested that the suspension was the minimum recommended as Clubb's comments were made 'in the heat of the moment'. If accurate, this is deeply concerning. It says that we, as a sport, will excuse almost any action where it was not pre-meditated. 

The RFL's disciplinary panel has in the past said that it is not bound by precedent. I usually find this stance baffling. On this occasion, maybe that is a good thing.

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Let's take a look at what was alleged by Andre Savelio. He alleged that Tony Clubb called him a 'stupid Polynesian c**t". During the match, Sky Sports identified the footage where it was believed that the incident occured.

Savelio played the ball and there was a coming together between the two players. This is not uncommon in rugby league. Anyone who has played sport will know that words are exchanged between opposition teams. Things are usually said 'in the heat of a moment'. It is probably correct that to say that Tony Clubb did not enter the game with the intent of insulting an opposing player based on his ethnicity.

Yet in one of the common coming-togethers between the players, Clubb has been found guilty of doing that. Regardless of intent, Clubb's unconscious reaction was to use Savelio's ethnicity or perceived ethnicity to insult him.

The punishment seems lenient. But what does punishment do? In this circumstance, it tries to send a message to players not to say racist things. What punishment cannot do is change a mindset. No punishment, no matter how severe or lenient, can tell an individual why their actions are wrong. 

I fear that the ensuing storm that will follow today's news may ignore the key point. If a society tells individuals not to say racist or discriminatory words, then this does not deal with the underlying problem. It merely pushes it into the unconscious, the prejudices will remain and they will manifest through actions or unfair treatment instead.

Make no mistake, I am critical of the RFL's decision to impose the minimum possible suspension for racist language. Subject to an epiphany emerging in the written reasons for the decision, it is wholly inadequate. It makes a mockery of the 'Tackle It' campaign, the recent social media boycott and efforts generally to eradicate racism.

Yet even if the suspension was adequate, it would not be enough in isolation. It is only if individuals who use discriminatory language learn why it is so hurtful that society moves forward.

I write this blogpost as a straight, white, English male. I have never been directly insulted on the basis of any of my inherent characteristics. I have never been treated at a disadvantage on the basis on any of inherent characteristics. To the best of my knowledge anyway. I do not know how it feels to be marginalised because of my race, my nationality, my gender, my sexual orientation or because of a disability.

I do not think it is right that some individuals seek to tell others who have been insulted on the basis of an inherent characteristic what they should and should not be offended by.

I am proud to be involved in rugby league, in a limited capacity, as a supporter. I am proud of the continuing investment in the women's game. I am proud that we are one of the few male sports where a homosexual player and homosexual referee have no need to hide who they are. I am proud that we have a female sport with many homosexual players (and even some couples). I am proud that our sport welcomes people of different faiths, nationalities and ethnicites. I am proud that the wheelchair World Cup at the end of the season is being placed on an equal footing with the able-bodied tournaments. I am proud that we have introduced a form of the sport to allow those with physical and learning disabilities to take part.

Tonight I feel less proud. The seemingly-inadequate suspension gives the impression of a sport that is blase toward racism. We cannot change the punishment. It is how we react to incidents such as this one now that is an important barometer. 

Will we simply seek to sweep this under the carpet? Or will Wigan take action to allow Tony Clubb to learn why the language he used has caused offence to Andre Savelio? The reaction to follow will be interesting. I hope that we do not continue to bury our heads in the sand.

If anything positive is to emerge from this ugly chapter (and the suspension certainly makes it an uglier chapter still), it would be not only to reduce the incidents of discriminatory abuse in rugby league, but to deal with it proactively and not reactively. It would be to deal with the root causes of the problem and not just when the root sprouts.

The eyes of the sporting world are on us. We seem to have failed our first test in adequately punishing the use of racist language. Let's hope we do not fail in our reaction to the suspension too.