Mr. Crispin Cole | November 6, 2005
BY JOEL CAMPBELL
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry says his experiences of racism...
Growing up in the French town of Les Ulis, Thierry Henry says his experiences of racism were few and far between.
The Arsenal striker puts it down to the fact that in the block of flats where he lives there was African food cooking on the floor beneath him, West Indian food being cooked on the floor above him and French food being cooked in and amongst it all.
The diversity of people in and around his local area was such that he never even thought about the fact that people were different, it was just how it was.
Henry, 28, also explained that in his eyes, the beauty of music and sport brings people together no matter what colour or race they are.
Talking at a recent anti-racism event organised by Arsenal, Henry talked to 100 school kids who asked the record-breaking striker about his experiences dealing with racism throughout his career.
He was joined on a panel by Kick It Out’s Lord Herman Ouseley, Arsenal Ladies Anita Asante and musician Shovel of M People. The panel was asked some tough questions by the youngsters, all of whom came from London schools.
VISION
Revealing his vision of racial harmony within football for the future, Henry told the youngsters: “What I am hoping is that you don’t have to hear some of the horrible things that you do hear.
“Fair enough if you want to have a go at the team that I play for and fair enough if you don’t like the colour of my shirt. But don’t have a go because of the colour of my skin.”
Henry also stressed to the kids the need to rise above any racial provocation that may come their way, giving them an example of when he got back at fans that had been abusing him. He recalled: “Last year we played Panathanikos and after the match I had all sorts of people asking me why I had celebrated the goal that I scored in the way that I did.
“They were asking me even though they knew why. The way I celebrated was because of the way I was treated out there. After I scored I just stood in front of the fans with my chest out, like, whatever you say or do I won’t go anywhere. In fact the more you do it, the more I raise my game.”
(Courtesy The Voice)
Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry says his experiences of racism...
Growing up in the French town of Les Ulis, Thierry Henry says his experiences of racism were few and far between.
The Arsenal striker puts it down to the fact that in the block of flats where he lives there was African food cooking on the floor beneath him, West Indian food being cooked on the floor above him and French food being cooked in and amongst it all.
The diversity of people in and around his local area was such that he never even thought about the fact that people were different, it was just how it was.
Henry, 28, also explained that in his eyes, the beauty of music and sport brings people together no matter what colour or race they are.
Talking at a recent anti-racism event organised by Arsenal, Henry talked to 100 school kids who asked the record-breaking striker about his experiences dealing with racism throughout his career.
He was joined on a panel by Kick It Out’s Lord Herman Ouseley, Arsenal Ladies Anita Asante and musician Shovel of M People. The panel was asked some tough questions by the youngsters, all of whom came from London schools.
VISION
Revealing his vision of racial harmony within football for the future, Henry told the youngsters: “What I am hoping is that you don’t have to hear some of the horrible things that you do hear.
“Fair enough if you want to have a go at the team that I play for and fair enough if you don’t like the colour of my shirt. But don’t have a go because of the colour of my skin.”
Henry also stressed to the kids the need to rise above any racial provocation that may come their way, giving them an example of when he got back at fans that had been abusing him. He recalled: “Last year we played Panathanikos and after the match I had all sorts of people asking me why I had celebrated the goal that I scored in the way that I did.
“They were asking me even though they knew why. The way I celebrated was because of the way I was treated out there. After I scored I just stood in front of the fans with my chest out, like, whatever you say or do I won’t go anywhere. In fact the more you do it, the more I raise my game.”
(Courtesy The Voice)
Posted 5 years, 3 months ago on November 6, 2005
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