J-League team Shimizu S-Pulse fined over anti-nuclear banner

Sorry Mr Dog but, as sad a reflection on the game as this is, it would not cause uproar in Europe. Remember when Spain were fined a paltry 600 Euros after racist abuse & monkey chants against black English players during a friendly in Madrid? Roberto Carlos has had bananas thrown at him in two separate games in the last month while playing for Anzhi in the Russian premier league. Any action? None. Samuel Eto'o, one the great modern African players, has suffered racist abuse in Spain & Italy, but the authorities' attempts to do anything about it were lamentable.

With regards to this incident, if the stewards at S-Pulse (was it at their Nihondaira stadium?) saw it and didn't react to it, then they do deserve to be fined. A few weeks ago the S-Pulse coach offered to sit down with these fans and explain to them his situation - I think that would be a very worthwhile exercise for everyone.

Hmmm... I kind of agree with Molenir, but I guess if they reserve the right to do it because it's at their home stadium, they can. It was admittedly very tasteless (and the headline's a wee bit misleading giving the 'anti-nuclear' protests gone on in Japan in regards to Fukushima and other plants), especially since aimed at the new coach, but... tough one.

Anyway, for a major sports franchise 2 million yen is pigeon feed, and it might just encourage them to ask fans to refrain from such things in the future. Maybe the fans here are starting to catch up with fans elsewhere (still not even close, but hey).

Two teenage fans of Jubilo Iwata draped a banner that read: “To Ghotbi, stop making nuclear weapons” at a game between the two clubs on May 28. Because the game was at Shimizu’s home stadium, the J-League decided to fine S-Pulse.

If Japan bothered with anti hate-speech legislation, these two idiots would be arrested and banned from ever going to a football game again. But until hate-speech is directed at Japanese from foreigners, nothing will be done. If this was in Europe, directed at a Japanese football player, (in Newcastle you could have "Tsuna-----mi! Tsuna-------mi!"), there would be outcry over here.

While a couple of knuckleheads are "protesting" against Iran in the belief that it is a nuclear threat to Japan - the Japanese are nuking children. Iran is the least of their worries!

Sorry Mr Dog but, as sad a reflection on the game as this is, it would not cause uproar in Europe.

I never said it would "cause uproar in Europe".

I said:

If this was in Europe, directed at a Japanese football player, (in Newcastle you could have "Tsuna-----mi! Tsuna-------mi!"), there would be outcry over here.

"Over here" meaning Japan.

We all know that in Japan, Japanese can do all kinds of racist things with no problems, like hate speech. But the moment something happens to a Japanese person overseas, it's racism and wrong.

Sorry Mr. Dog, my mistake! I thought you meant "over here" as in Europe.

No problem, mate.

Great point about the stewards BTW.

I'd love to know what the stupid little kids thought they'd accomplish by doing what they did though.

Do football managers hold sway over nuclear arms policies in Iran?

Well, if you're going to be anal about it, then fine Jubilo as well. They were Jubilo fans after all. I guess the big question is, were the S-Pulse officials notified about the offending banner during the game. If they knew and didn't do anything, I guess a fine of some kind would be necessary. If they weren't told until after the game, or they didn't know about it until after the game, they shouldn't have to pay a fine.

So stupid. Why fine the team? Did they know or have anything to do with this banner? Did they completely fail to do anything about it when it came to light? Why the fine? If someone completely unrelated to me does something stupid, I'm not going to pay for it. They shouldn't penalize the team for something that is completely not their fault.

If Japan bothered with anti hate-speech legislation, these two idiots would be arrested and banned from ever going to a football game again.

And that would be a horrible overreaction to a teenage prank. Can't people make mistakes without getting banned for life, or tarred and feathered?

@Molenir

They shouldn't penalize the team for something that is completely not their fault.

I agree to a point, but I imagine they saw the sign and did nothing to remove it. They do need to police the content of signs.

Was this seriously a problem? This was obviously blown out of proportion.

You want to see nasty banners?

Just take a look at football in Poland. You'll fear for your life. There's an organization that needs to be fined. Banners with "88" and "14"......freakin Neo-Nazis. Banners in the stadium much much worse than "Stop making Nukes".

Seems this was more a personal attack than anything. Those fans should be fined and they should be apologizing to the coach.