Football and prejudice in Belgium and the Netherlands

Abstract

As with many other west European countries, the populations of Belgium and the Netherlands are quite diverse. With immigrants arriving from former colonies, European Union member-states and third countries, integration in these two societies has been ascribed a rather significant meaning, particularly, in the more liberal Netherlands. Yet cultural diversity is not only far from total, but is often undermined due to ethnic and racial discrimination. Considering that football has the capacity to reflect the population of a given country at national level, this essay examines the degree of ethnic and racial segregation – as witnessed in society – upon the composition of the Belgian and Dutch national football teams, in an attempt to demonstrate that social divisions are often replicated in the popular game.

Notes

¹ Wagg, Giving the Game Away, 105 and 107.

² European Forum for Urban Safety, ‘Euro 2000 Cities’, 4–6.

³ Blaschke and Torres, ‘Racism in Rural Areas’, 200–1.

⁴ Zwamborn, ‘The Netherlands’, 61.

⁵ Blaschke and Torres, ‘Racism in Rural Areas’, 205.

⁶ European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, ‘Racist Violence’, 172.

⁷ European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, ‘Racist Violence’, 115–16.

⁸ Zwamborn, ‘The Netherlands’, 144–5.

⁹ European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, ‘Migrants’ Experiences of Racism and Xenophobia', 98.

¹⁰ European Network Against Racism, ‘Responding to Racism in the Netherlands’, 4.

¹¹ Blaschke and Torres, ‘Racism in Rural Areas’, 57.

¹² Bribosia and Rorive, ‘Belgium’, 15–16.

¹³ Bribosia and Rorive, ‘Belgium’, 18.

¹⁴ Blaschke and Torres, ‘Racism in Rural Areas’, 59–62.

¹⁵ European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, ‘Racist Violence’, 68.

¹⁶ Gsir et al., ‘Belgium’.

¹⁷ Janssens, ‘The Netherlands’, 52.

¹⁸ Janssens, ‘The Netherlands’, 52

¹⁹ Winner, Brilliant Orange, 225.

²⁰ Winner, Brilliant Orange

²¹ Winner, Brilliant Orange, 221–5.

²² Bali, ‘Ferencváros’, 259.

²³ Winner, Brilliant Orange, 225.

²⁴ Bali, ‘Ferencváros’, 259.

²⁵ Flutlicht, ‘Prevention or Stopping the Match’.

²⁶ Winner, Brilliant Orange, 217.

²⁷ Winner, Brilliant Orange, 211.

²⁸ Winner, Brilliant Orange, 212.

²⁹ Wagg, Giving the Game Away, 117.

³⁰ Zwamborn, ‘The Netherlands’, 144.

³¹ Duke and Crolley, 1996, p.48

³² ‘Voetbal Vereeniging’ is Flemish for ‘football club’.

³³ Duke and Crolley, 1996, p.52-3

³⁴ Duke and Crolley, Football, Nationality, and the State, 54.

³⁵ Duke and Crolley, Football, Nationality, and the State, 52.

³⁶ Duke and Crolley, Football, Nationality, and the State, 56–9.

³⁷ Wagg, Giving the Game Away, 118.

³⁸ Northern Ireland Assembly, ‘Sectarianism and Sport in Northern Ireland’, 11.

³⁹ Football Association of Belgium, http://www.footbel.com/en/nationale_elftallen/rode_duivels/spelersa.html.

⁴⁰ Vanreusel, ‘Football, Racism and Xenophobia’, 69.

⁴¹ Vanreusel, ‘Football, Racism and Xenophobia’, 70.

⁴² Beyers, ‘From Class to Culture’, 44, 47, 48, 50, 53, 56 and 57.