Posted February 3, 200817 yr Hamilton subjected to racist abuse in Spain Sun Feb 3, 2008 9:16am GMT MADRID (Reuters) Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton suffered racist abuse from Spanish fans during testing at the Montmelo circuit in Barcelona, Spanish media reported on Sunday. Reports in a number of papers said the McLaren driver was booed and insulted whenever he made his way from the team motorhome and into the pits on Saturday. The correspondent from sports daily Marca said that shouts of "puto negro" (bloody/f****** black) and "negro de mierda" (black s***) were clearly heard and he said that large sections of the crowd were involved. "It is not right the way he is being treated," McLaren test team manager Indy Lull was quoted as saying. Marca said that the circuit director asked for fences to be put up around the McLaren paddock and ordered the removal of banners that had been put up opposite the team's base. Daily La Vanguardia also said the circuit director had reminded fans of their obligations at the venue. "We would like to make a plea to the fans to behave correctly, no type of offensive behaviour can be tolerated," circuit director Ramon Pradera was quoted as saying in the newspaper. Hamilton, who finished runner-up in last year's championship, has become a hate figure in Spain because of his rivalry with former McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso who now drives for Renault. Whilst during the last year finale, the national Spanish commentary made monkey noises when Hamilton's car was having trouble during the early stages of that race that effectively ended his World Title hopes in his first season in Formula 1. Incidents of racism have plagued Spanish sport, in particular football, in recent years. Do you think Spanish Sports are entitled to behave in this manner or is it completely unacceptable?
February 3, 200817 yr Happens everywhere not just in Spain When I started following football I remember bananas being thrown at players and monkey chants and so on and in Italy it is really bad towards footballers and so on so racism is a global disease not just confined to Spain While I dislike Hamilton I condemn any racial abuse of anyone in sport be it Hamilton or anyone else
February 3, 200817 yr Disgusting really, their small mindedness probably could damage F1 ( as if it isn't damaged already after last year). I suppose they were reacting because of the Alonso(being spannish) stuff last year, but no need for racism. But in Spain and the Balkans it is pretty bad, so 1980's. Edited February 3, 200817 yr by brian91
February 4, 200817 yr its disgusting, hes a totally inoffensive guy whos just good at his sport. anyway hes mixed race (isnt he?) so hes as much white as he is black!!!
February 4, 200817 yr Can't say I'm surprised tbh, Formula 1 comes off as being pretty much a "White Man's Club", a bit like the way golf used to be before Tiger Woods came on the scene and obliterated everyone's preconceptions.. I hope this guy can do for Formula 1 what Woods did for golf....
February 4, 200817 yr why?... I dont understand that either tbh... Is it because he's arrogant...? Well, if that was a reason to dislike an F1 driver, no one would particularly like any of them..... :lol: :lol:
February 4, 200817 yr why?... Because he is the golden boy of Ron Dennis who I hate more than any figure in world sport bar Sol Campbell Once Hamilton frees himself from Ron I would like him
February 4, 200817 yr Because he is the golden boy of Ron Dennis who I hate more than any figure in world sport bar Sol Campbell Once Hamilton frees himself from Ron I would like him well hate ron dennis if you want but why put it onto hamilton?... dont make sense...
February 4, 200817 yr its just been on the news..... hamiltons not liked after the dispute with alonso, the spanish wonderboy.. but bbc lunchtime news just showed pics of the spanish 'blacking up' to mimick the black man.... thats disgraceful and i hope the morons get 'done'...
February 4, 200817 yr I to dislike hamilton, but i don't agree with this behavior and i find it disgraceful to think that it i coming from fellow Alonso fans. Surely the more mature thing would be to just let him live and not give him any attention at all? Fernando may be national hero in spain but back here it is a definate reversal because he upset the chosen one. However the brits dont act in a racist manner towards alonso
February 4, 200817 yr Racism is a lot more than colour though I have been at races in Britain where I have seen yards from me "fans" giving Schumacher nazi salutes and similar, to me that is racist, racism is discrimination against a particular country or race not about skin colour so why was there never any fuss in the media about British fans doing nazi salutes at Schumacher ? If there had been ku klux klan salutes at Hamilton at an overseas GP we would never hear the end of it Total hypocricy by the media although of course what has happened here with Hamilton is bang out of order
February 4, 200817 yr well hate ron dennis if you want but why put it onto hamilton?... dont make sense... I don't dislike Hamilton the man himself, I have met him twice and both times he signed autographs for me and was very friendly etc have no prob with the guy himself but driving for McLaren I do cheer when he makes a mistake or retires from races so in his professional capacity I hate to see him do well
February 4, 200817 yr Author Racism is a lot more than colour though If there had been ku klux klan salutes at Hamilton at an overseas GP we would never hear the end of it If you watched the ITV news at 18:30 Hours tonight - where this is the headline story you would have seen a number of Spanish supporters filmed doing just that.
February 4, 200817 yr It's sick how cruel people can be. Just because of some silly little spat with Alonso, so called Spanish fans can be disgraceful. Hamilton or anyone shouldn't have to tolerate any kind of racist abuse. They should walk off or drive off. Alonso should urge his fans not to encourage racism. Fans who cause trouble should get chucked out and sports events should never be held in Spain ever. I hope this story hits off like the Celeb Big Brother did.
February 4, 200817 yr I can't say I'm a Hamilton fan, especially after he decided to become a tax exile but no one deserves that.
February 4, 200817 yr Until we get our own house in order with regards racism we can't preach to other countries about racism Britain has an appalling reputation for racist behaviour particularly in football by fans but not exclusively football so until we sort out our racists we should not preach to others And one thing I find disturbing is an entire nation being tarred with the brush of a TINY minority of yobs 150,000 attended the testing session over 3 days and those ones who blackened their faces were apparently SIX yes SIX out of 150,000 so its a tiny tiny minority of Spanish people involved in this but the entire nation is getting slagged off because of the actions of maybe a dozen yobs
February 4, 200817 yr Racism is a lot more than colour though I have been at races in Britain where I have seen yards from me "fans" giving Schumacher nazi salutes and similar, to me that is racist, racism is discrimination against a particular country or race not about skin colour so why was there never any fuss in the media about British fans doing nazi salutes at Schumacher ? If there had been ku klux klan salutes at Hamilton at an overseas GP we would never hear the end of it Total hypocricy by the media although of course what has happened here with Hamilton is bang out of order good point. There is only an outcry because he's the medias golden boy
February 4, 200817 yr Exactly Phil What this small minority of loons are doing is wrong and they should be rightfully condemned for it but it is : no worse than English fans in football throwing bananas and making monkey chants no worse than England football fans singing pro protestant and anti catholic songs in games v Ireland no worse than the blatantly racist Adebayor chant at football grounds no worse than nazi salutes against Schumacher by F1 fans no worse than the hissing sound made at football matches against Spurs to imitate the noise of gas chambers and so on and so on, all those examples are committed by ENGLISH sports fans Ban F1 from Spain then football should be banned from England Edited February 4, 200817 yr by Vic Vega
February 4, 200817 yr The Rangers vs Celtic games are heavily riddled with sectarian chants. theres a google ad at the bottom of this page that reads: "Lewis Hamilton in racism storm. Spanish yobs vile attack on F1 ace" obviously it links to the sun website, but to me it screams hypocrisy
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