Irish Examiner view: Support for players who suffered racial abuse offers hope of a bigger prize

There can be no excuse for the racist attacks on English footballers

Ruby Scarry, age 7 (left) and sister Reeva Scarry, age 4 place messages of support on top of bin liners that were placed over offensive wording on the mural of Manchester United striker and England player Marcus Rashford on the wall of the Coffee House Cafe on Copson Street, Withington, which appeared vandalised the morning after the England football team lost the UEFA Euro 2021 final. Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all failed from the spot on Sunday night as England went down on penalties to Italy. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

Even though there is more than a sliver of justification for the charge it may be unhelpful to accuse British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of hypocrisy over his condemnation of the “appalling” racist abuse directed at a number of England players after Sunday night's defeat by Italy.

Johnson, after all, and despite his libertarian protestations, reached Downing Street in a vehicle fuelled by racism. If there is a difference between the racism behind Brexit and the rancid abuse offered yesterday then it is a matter of scale rather than intent.

Despite that, there can be no excuse for the hatred directed at three players, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka because they missed opportunities to take the title for England. In a way, those attacks provoked the better victory — the universal support, respect, and admiration shown for those young men who offered so much only to trip at the last hurdle. Sport may have been the forum but humanity, decent humanity was the winner in spite of the racists.