Joleon Lescott Everton
Joleon Lescott, a former Premier League defender, has opened up about his long-standing discontent with the anti-discrimination body, Kick It Out. Lescott’s stance stems from a 2007 incident involving former Newcastle United midfielder Emre Belozoglu, who was accused of racially abusing Everton’s Joseph Yobo. Although Belozoglu was cleared of wrongdoing in that instance, he later received a suspended prison sentence for a similar offense in 2014.
Joleon Lescott said: “I don’t think I’ll be alive when there’s any change. No chance. I just hope down the line, family members that are still involved in the game see change. I’ve said it enough times that I generally don’t believe I will see a difference. I couldn’t tell you the last player who has been convicted of racism.”
Lescott continued: “I always had an issue with Kick It Out. There was an incident during Newcastle vs Everton in 2007. Emre Belozoglu, the Turkish player, said something to Joseph Yobo. Me and Tim Howard heard it, went to the hearing and we were told we weren’t allowed any representation. I hadn’t spoken to Kick It Out before. I had nothing. I was told we weren’t allowed any representation. Went there, got into the hearing. Me and Tim had to go in separate. We get into the room and Emre’s there with five people. I was like, ‘Oh, I can’t bring in a club representative and he’s got lawyers.’ They said, ‘We’re going to take all day to deliberate.’ Cool, no problem. The hearing was in Leeds. I live in Cheshire. I hadn’t even gotten home, and he’d been cleared. I hadn’t even gotten home. I was just like, ‘Yeah, this isn’t for me.’ For the rest of my career, I didn’t wear any Kick It Out stuff. I think a player has to receive three incidents in one game before you could walk off. It’s insane. If I pull your shirt twice, I’m off.”
Lescott’s dissatisfaction with the handling of the 2007 incident is evident, as he felt the process was unfair and lacked proper representation for those accusing Belozoglu. The Football Association’s disciplinary panel dismissed the case against Belozoglu after the charge was not proven. This experience led Lescott to refrain from supporting Kick It Out for the remainder of his career.
Emre Belozoglu stated: “I am a Turk in England. We are ambassadors for our country. Just imagine how awful it would have been if I, of all people, had been found guilty of racism. It would have affected my career – and the careers of other Turks trying to go abroad.”
Lescott’s comments highlight the broader issue of representation and fairness within football’s governing bodies. He expressed a desire for a fairer system that better reflects the diversity of those involved in the sport. Lescott’s reflections serve as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in addressing racism within football and the need for continued efforts towards a more inclusive and equitable environment.
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