‘Proud’ Michael Boxall praises teammates after Qatar racism storm

MINNEAPOLIS – New Zealand defender Michael Boxall said he was proud of his teammates’ decision to

abandon Tuesday’s international football friendly against Qatar

after he was subjected to an alleged racial slur during the game played in Austria.

The All Whites refused to emerge for the second half after Boxall and his fellow players claimed that Qatari winger Yusuf Abdurisag made a “significant racist slur” five minutes before the interval.

The Kiwi players reported the incident to officials and, when no action was taken, they did not return after the break.

“It’s one of those things, I’m pretty competitive and I say a lot of things that I wouldn’t want my kids to hear, but that’s certainly crossing the line,” Boxall, who is of Samoan heritage and plays for Major League Soccer side Minnesota United, told the Star Tribune.

“It’s not something I’d ever say. I didn’t really take great offence to it, but I think it’s one of those things you can’t allow on a football field.

“I’m sure it’s a slur he uses colloquially every day but, when it’s directed at another player on the field, you can’t get away with that. It’s not something I take personally. But I’m proud of my teammates for taking the stand they did.”

New Zealand Football said after the incident that it intended to raise the matter with Fifa, the game’s governing body.

“I’ve moved on and I’m ready to get back to work,” added Boxall, whose phone blew up soon after the match with messages of support.

“I got too many messages. It’s great that everyone reached out and showed some love, but it’s nothing I want to get a few hundred messages about.

“We’ve taken that stand, and now it’s out of our control and just let the powers that be sort everything out now.”

The Qatar Football Association has denied that Abdurisag, who is black, used discriminatory language during an exchange of words, insisting that he was instead the victim of racial slurs.

The player himself also made a separate statement.

He said: “During the game, I was the target of racist abuse from a member of the opposing team.

“To my complete shock, that same player accused me of using offensive language and the game was abandoned.

“During my travels around the world as a footballer, I have experienced racist abuse, but never have I been both a victim and the accused in the same incident.

“It’s true that players often say things to each other in the heat of the moment, but there is a clear line that I have never crossed.”

Qatar’s Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz also said he was “surprised” by the New Zealanders’ decision to abandon the match, saying there had been no witnesses and that it was “just an argument between two players”.
REUTERS, AFP