Racism row: Terry, Williams in dock

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The demon of racism hasn’t yet been banished from sports.

After John Terry’s alleged racist abuse of QPR defender Anton Ferdinand in an EPL match last month, Tiger Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams has landed himself in hot water by calling the golf great a ‘black @&*!hole’ at a private function for caddies in Hong Kong on Friday.

England coach Fabio Capello has vowed to select the beleaguered Terry in his squad as long as the defender’s guilt is not proven. Andre Villas-Boas, the Chelsea boss, has also backed his captain. But Terry must be quaking in his boots about the fallout if he is found to have insulted Ferdinand, younger brother of Manchester United ace Rio, in racial terms.

Racist slurs, whether they are meant or not, are potentially volcanic. Terry will have no place to hide if lip reading experts conclude that he had indeed used ‘black’ in his tirade against Ferdinand during the volatile match which Chelsea lost 0-1.

Terry is already worried about the possible impact of the racism row on his career. The strains are visible on his face and game.

Terry’s position as captain of his club and country will become untenable in case of an adverse verdict. Former England star Paul Ince, himself a black, has come out in support of the Chelsea defender. But Chelsea and England have so many black players that Terry can’t harbour hopes of continuing as skipper. Even if his teammates forgive him, the bloodthirsty English media will not rest until he is stripped of his post.

Racism is a sensitive topic in England, as it is in many parts of the world. Ron Atkinson, former Manchester United manager, lost his commentary contract for his loaded comment on French international Marcel Desailly. He is still in wilderness, even though he had not showed any bias against black players in the clubs he managed.

Williams, who now carries the bag for Adam Scott of Australia, has gone record that he never intended racial insult when he spoke about Woods in derogatory terms.

Golf stars, almost all of them white, have rallied behind the caddie. Woods hasn’t reacted but he must be seething inside because someone who had been beside him for 13 of his 14 major wins and made plenty of money in the process has chosen to be ‘funny.’

The only mitigating factor for Williams is he’s not an American. But the New Zealander has become universally unpopular for his flippant remark. The road for Afro-Americans in an elite sport like golf was strewn with obstacles. Jackie Robinsons of the sport had to soldier on against institutionalised prejudice.

The emergence of Woods, who won his first major in 1997, was a slap in the face of white supremacists who had denied the keys of courses and clubs to blacks for decades. Williams may have been angered by the decision of Woods to axe him.

The Kiwi stood with Woods during the darkest phase of the golfing legend’s personal life. But he can’t expect to be rewarded for his generosity in the form of an extended contract. Woods took a professional decision and Williams had to live with that.

People will be treading on ice when they talk about somebody’s colour because the line between insult and humour is rather thin.