Racial abuse is just to distract black players – Stephen Appiah

Former Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah has said that racial abuse against black players is to distract players who pose a threat to them.

Despite not being a victim of racism, the former Juventus midfielder opined that the fans that engage in the discriminatory act do so on the basis of distracting black players who are a threat to their team.

He adds that, while others do so as means of distracting their opposing team, there are a few who do so just because it is an inherent trait they lose.

I’ve never experienced racism but I’ve been in games where the opponent’s fans are trying to disturb [abuse] black players and all that

“I think that at times they do when the player is a threat to them so they try to distract you and make you lose concentration so you can’t perform well.

“For others too, that’s just how they are, it’s their habit. That’s how they see us [black players] and I think it’s very bad.

“For years, African players, South American players, players with brown skin; we have tried to send messages but it’s never changing.

“But personally, I’ve never experienced that.”

A number of Ghanaian players including Kevin Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari have been victims of racism chants.