The disappointment of England not winning the championship trophy at the Euros may seem like a distant memory now. In our fast-paced world, where one headline quickly replaces another, it’s easy to forget the rollercoaster of emotions we experienced just a short while ago. The anticipation leading up to the final on Sunday was palpable. This year’s Euros brought people together in a way few events can nowadays. There were joint viewings at pubs after work and on weekends, office sweepstakes, and spirited debates in households and workplaces, even among those not particularly invested in football.
Despite that final letdown, Euro 2024 delivered thrilling matches throughout with unexpected outcomes. Spain’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Croatia hinted at their early potential, while England’s dramatic 2-1 win over Italy and Bellingham’s last-minute bicycle kick against Slovakia secured their quarter-final spot. Young talent shone brightly, with Spain’s Lamine Yamal making headlines as the youngest player in Euro history at 16 years and 338 days old.
The tournament wasn’t without its controversies, including disappointing performances from some top teams and contentious refereeing decisions, particularly regarding VAR interventions. Fan behaviour was a mixed bag. While heartwarming moments of camaraderie went viral, like Albanian fans playfully breaking spaghetti in front of Italian supporters, there were also concerning incidents related to violence and disorder.
In the years to come, Euro 2024 will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion, offering much to reflect upon. But as someone who isn’t a sports writer or commentator, my attention was drawn to a recurring issue that transcends football: the persistent racialisation of non-white players, even by those claiming to be anti-racist.
On social media, photos of talented British players like Bellingham and Saka circulated with captions such as “Where are the racists now?” or “Are the racists out celebrating?” These posts apparently aimed to challenge those who claim non-whites can’t represent England and to address the horrific abuse faced by players, especially those who missed penalties in past tournaments. However, they inadvertently shifted focus back to skin colour rather than individual talent and skill – mirroring the behaviour they intended to combat.
No reasonable person can deny that racism casts a shadow over momentous occasions in sports. However, during these players’ moments of triumph, explicitly using their racial identity as some kind of “gotcha” against racists was misguided and distasteful. Their exceptional performances spoke volumes on their own, and served as a more powerful rebuttal and a “middle finger” of some sort to the racists.
The core issue with racism lies in its dehumanising nature, reducing individuals to mere representatives of a racial group rather than recognising their unique identities and abilities. Ironically, some anti-racist mentalities fall into the same trap. By continually emphasising skin colour, even in celebration, they continually ignore the human behind the achievement.
Anti-racists should know better; they claim to be the champions of minorities, the ones who uplift those who have been dehumanised in past and present times. Yet they engage in the exact same reductive behaviour and, even worse, with statements such as “Where are the racists now?” they make it about the racists and completely sideline the individuals they are meant to champion.
But perhaps I’m being naive. It should be clear by now that anti-racists don’t fight for the individual; they care about groups. In fact, those who profess to be individuals are often inconvenient to their cause. So I shouldn’t be surprised that they are just as obsessed with race as the racists are.
A prevalent strand of anti-racist thought posits that white people are often unaware of their race, framing this as a privilege and sometimes even chastising white individuals for this lack of awareness. These theorists argue that while white people can remain oblivious to racial issues, “black and brown people” are denied this privilege, since they are constantly reminded of their racial identity. But the irony is that most of the time, these reminders are coming from the anti-racists themselves.
Anti-racist advocates often use any opportunity to emphasise the racial identity of non-white individuals. As someone who has experienced this firsthand, I can attest to being reminded of my race when I’ve expressed thoughts or opinions that diverge from expected narratives. It’s as if I were viewed as a mascot or puppet, denied the autonomy to form my own conclusions based on my individual experiences and reasoning.
Indeed, the ability to not fixate on race or to have it dominate one’s sense of self is a form of privilege. I completely agree. However, instead of attempting to strip this “privilege” from white people by heightening their race consciousness, a better idea would be to collectively work towards reducing the prominence of race in our daily discourse and interactions. When four men perform exceptionally in a tournament, then that should be the main point. That should have been the tweet. Using their skin colour to provoke and taunt ideological opponents cheapens the humanity of these individuals. They are reduced to mere tools or weapons against enemies, effectively dehumanising them in the process.
I watched a video on Instagram of a Caribbean girl talking about how different it was being black in Jamaica versus being black in the UK. She concluded by saying, “I had the privilege of not constantly thinking about the white man” – in other words, “I had the privilege to not constantly think about race.” How freeing is that?
It’s truly a luxury to not have race be the centre of your achievements, failures, and even your existence. I appeal to both the racists and so-called anti-racists: allow us all this luxury. Let us exist as individuals first, with our racial identities as just one facet of our complex selves, rather than the defining characteristic that overshadows all others.
Ada Akpala is the senior content officer of The Equiano Project.
