Football

Is Manchester United Fans’ Romelu Lukaku Chant Racist?

Daily Reporter

Romelu Lukaku in action. PHOTO/NEWSWEEK

By AGENCIES

newsweek@reporter.co.ke

On the pitch, Romelu Lukaku has made a rapid start to his Manchester United career.

Off it, the Belgium striker is causing controversy through no fault of his own.

To accompany their new forward’s goalscoring feats, a section of United’s support has started up a chant referring to Lukaku’s penis, to the tune of a song by English 1980s rock band The Stone Roses’ called ‘Made of Stone.’ (United, it should be pointed out tangentially, walks out onto the Old Trafford pitch to another Stone Roses song, ‘This Is The One.’)

“Romelu Lukaku, he’s our Belgian scoring genius with a 24-inch penis, scoring all our goals, bellend by his toes,” the song goes according to Newsweek.

A piece posted Monday on the well-known United blog, Republik of Mancunia, called the chant “drivel that belongs in the 1980s” and now The Independent reports that United will “seek advice” over the chant after being contacted by anti-racism organization Kick It Out.

“Kick It Out is aware of footage of alleged racist chanting by supporters of Manchester United that emerged on Wednesday evening [September 13],” a Kick It Out statement reported by The Independent read.

Don’t miss: Bill O’Reilly Claims ‘Radical Left Groups’ Forced His Fox News Ouster and Sean Hannity Wants His Old Pal Back

“The lyrics used in the chant are offensive and discriminatory. Racist stereotypes are never acceptable in football or wider society, irrespective of any intention to show support for a player.

“We have contacted Manchester United regarding the issue and will be working closely with them and the FA to ensure that it is addressed swiftly. If we receive any reports relating to the discriminatory chant, those will be passed on to the governing body and the perpetrators can expect to face punishment.”

Transfer News: Manchester United and Jose Mourinho Could Lose Star Midfielder For Free

The specter of supposedly “ironic” derogatory chanting by Premier League supporters has already raised its head earlier this month, when Chelsea condemned as “unacceptable” anti-Semitic chants from its supporters during the victory against Leicester at the King Power Stadium, aimed at the large Jewish fanbase of rival club Tottenham Hotspur. Alvaro Morata, the unwitting Chelsea striker around whom the chant revolved, appealed for “respect for everyone” in the wake of the incident.

Help us to report stories that expose human rights violations, corruption, environmental degradation, spark reforms and generally spotlight issues of public interest. While traditional news reporting is losing its relevance, serious investigation now requires more than basic journalistic skills. To do this we require a lot of resources. You can either BECOME A SPONSOR or MAKE A CONTRIBUTION

Nelson Mandela once said: “A critical, independent, and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference. It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favor. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens.” If you like our journalism support us to continue bringing you groundbreaking and agenda setting stories.