That's not a defence though - he's been plying his trade in Europe for years so should know by now what is acceptable.

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Miust go and have a butchers at RAWK - it's probably in meltdown; again. Always good value reading the 'contributions' over there.

Personally, I think the sentence is a bit harsh. I'd have already banned the little fooker for the whole season for persistent diving.

P.S. I assume the FA have yet to do anything about the one fingered salute at Fulham.

Hopefully, that horrible little oik Terry will follow soon.

Priceless.

This is how you kick out a player.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16280364.stm

I like this.

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It very much is an excuse. If he was talking in Spanish (which he was), then there is nothing wrong with using the word "negrito". In Latin America the term is common when talking about anyone who has darker skin than you, or about yourself if you are generally dark skinned. Likewise "gordito" (fatty), "flaquito" (skinny), "blanquito" (whitey), etc.. These are common and not pejorative terms. They CAN be used pejoratively, of course, depending on tone. But that's a hell of a difficult thing for someone who doesn't speak the language to judge (let alone understand). What the panel have clearly shown is that they don't understand anything about linguistic and cultural usage. My wife is from Venezuela, by the way, and her friends  from Venezuela refer to her pretty much all the time as "negrita" (and I sometimes say "mi negrita").

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The point is Nick, he's not in South America is he?

The age of consent is 15 in Uruguay - he'd be charged if he had sex with a 15 year old here.
Or
Drinking on the street is fine in the UK, but you know not to do it in Dubai etc etc.

Are you a Liverpool fan by any chance? !

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No, but he's speaking Spanish. This isn't about behaviour, it's about language. WHy should you be charged with racism because of a mistranslation of non-racist a term you've used in your own language? If he'd said it in English, then fair enough. But he didn't.

 

And no I'm not a Liverpool fan. I'm someone who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to Spanish and issues of language and cultural awareness generally.

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That is a very fair point John, one that I dont think anyone here disputes. The issue for me is the fact that the FA fly everyone out to appeal Rooney stamping on someones leg, do nothing about Terry who can be clearly seen numerous times racially abusing Ferdinand, and then give Suarez 8 games....It just seems harsh and almost scapegoat like. I wonder if Liverpool will take this to an external court, I just cannot see how the charges would hold up? I know I'm biased, but I really am trying to look at it away from red tinted specs and it just seems ludicrous.

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With all due respect, it's not a fair point. It's a completely baseless analogy that John made (see my post above).

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If you are talking to someone in Venezuela in English, for example, and you say "well you can't teach your grandmother to suck eggs" and then you were arrested because - in a direct, word for word translation - you'd just made an incredibly offensive remark about not teaching your grandmother to suck something else (I think you know what I mean), then would you say that was all fair?

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Well Nick disputes it somehow! I guess the QC's on the independent panel had no idea.

As for John Terry, I think he'll get a 12 game ban and possibly a police action, plus stripped of the England captaincy...

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What I'm disputing, John, is the idea that "negrito" is per se a racist term when speaking in Spanish. It isn't. I made very clear that, in a certain tone, it can be racist. Not sure what your anger is against me. Maybe you think you understand Latin American Spanish better than I do.

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Very interesting Nick, obviously well clued up on the culture. Reading your comments it seems the FA have just taken it clearly as racism rather than looking at the background and up bringing of Suarez who saw no wrong in using the word "negrito" and why would he? as it is the norm back home and isn't offensive. Sometimes we cam be a little ignorant over here , can't we?

Hmmmmm I wonder what the JT will bet ?

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I'm not angry Nick??

I guess it may be best to wait for the written reasons from commission member Paul Goulding QC — which will be made available to the public.  There may be more to this than meets the eye.

Does anyone know when his next charge is being heard (for the one finger salute at Fulhams fans?) I expect he'll get another couple of games for that too.

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Anyway, all's well now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/16186556.stm  change any opinions?

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Piara Powar, executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare), believes the governing body's decision is a landmark judgement.

He told BBC Radio 5 live: "This is the first time we have seen an insight into what is said between players on the pitch, and what may have been commonplace between players in the past.


"This is a big moment and I would say that the FA have dealt with this in the right way. They have taken their time and taken independent advice.

"No one takes any pleasure from seeing him found guilty like this but it is an interesting judgement."

Powar said Fare has taken advice on the abusive word used by Suarez and the context of similar words in South American dialect.

He added: "If it is used in a friendly fashion then it is acceptable, it turns immediately to a hostile meaning if it is used as an offensive word.

"Taking the context of that game, it is difficult to see how he would have used it in a friendly way."

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I don't know precisely how the FA decision making process works. For example, is previous behaviour, even in another league, taken into account? If so, then that may explain the length of the ban to some extent. Anyway, all will be revealed eventually.

Well if that is taken in to account, he was never going to win!

(he was serving a 7 game ban in Holland for biting chunk of an opponents ear in a game for Ajax and was dubbed the Cannibal of Amsterdam)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2076827/Luis-Suarez-history-Otman-Bakkal-Uruguay-v-Ghana-handball-World-Cup.html

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I'm glad he's banned as I can't stand the little sh*t. That vile cheating poor excuse for a human should be dumped somewhere in a desert and left there. I just hope as a Chelsea fan, that JT is also given the same, if not worse punishment, if its proven to be exactly as it looks on video.

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Yep all eyes on the Terry verdict now

I'll bet the CPS does nothing. I hope I'm wrong.

One occasion where it's nice to be wrong.

Intersting to see whether the FA wait until the legal process is completed or act now. This could drag on for months (post euros)....

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He is going to get some serious abuse (if he plays) on Thursday night.

As Ray Wilkins will no doubt say on Sky: 'My word'.

Case to be tried by magistrates, no custodial sentence, maxiumum fine £2,500, if found guilty, is what I understand.