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Last update - 20:13 01/10/2007
Chelsea FC slams anti-Semitic taunts directed at Israeli manager
By Shaul Adar, Haaretz Correspondent

The chairman of Chelsea FC, Bruce Buck, on Sunday condemned some fans' use of anti-Semitic taunts against the club's new manager, Israeli coach Avram Grant.

"We welcome all constructive points of view. But there have been a few which could be viewed as racist and anti-Semitic and that must stop immediately," Buck said. "This is one thing we will not tolerate, whether in written correspondence, on the chat pages, on posters or banners, or through singing and chanting."

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Grant arrived at Stamford Bridge in July 2007 as director of football and became manager in September, following the departure of the hugely popular Jose Mourinho, who led the team for three years.

Anti-Semitic sentiments expressed by some Chelsea fans are generally directed at rival London team Tottenham Hotspur, which is widely believed to have a large Jewish following.

In recent years, however, the Chelsea management has made a concerted effort to end the phenomenon and warned fans that racist remarks could warrant removal from the stadium, as well as legal action.

But calls against "the Jew" could be heard during a demonstration staged by Chelsea fans outside Stamford Bridge some two weeks ago. Songs with anti-Semitic undertones, seemingly against Tottenham, were sung at subsequent games.

The anti-Semitic element among the team's fans is relatively small, but even the moderate fans view Grant's appointment against the backdrop of his nationality and his religion.

While many fans disagree with former Conservative heritage minister David Mellor, who said that the only reason Grant was appointed is because he is a Russian Israeli at a club owned by an Israel-obsessed Russian, some do believe that the Jewish presence at the club's highest echelons, and Grant's personal relationship with club owner Roman Abramovich are the reasons for his appointment.

Grant's image has also been harmed by the behind-the-scenes involvement at Chelsea of Pini Zahavi, an Israeli-born soccer agent who has represented some of the game's most prominent players and who played a part in Abramovich's purchase of the club.

Further exacerbating the situation is the poor performance by Israeli defender Tal Ben-Haim. Grant's decision to include Ben-Haim in the starting lineup in place of Brazilian defender Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa has sparked outrage among the fans.

Nor has Abramovich escaped unscathed. Many Chelsea fans have expressed a yearning for a different kind of team - one with a smaller budget and fewer titles, but with a stronger commitment to its supporters.

One fan described the system as rotten, accusing the owner of appointing an anonymous friend as coach and buying players such as Andriy Shevchenko for millions of pounds, only to discover that they are too old and too slow.

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  1.   No to anti-semitic 16:44  |  Gay muscleman 01/10/07
  2.   Beitar fans 16:45  |  Soccer 01/10/07
  3.   chelsea 17:01  |  ari 01/10/07
  4.   WONDER HOW ABE FOXMAN WOULD LOOK IN A SOCCER UNIFORM 17:06  |  Brant 01/10/07
  5.   Inevitable, but sad 17:08  |  L A 01/10/07
  6.   Racist Brits get a Jewish Manager. 17:17  |  Chick 01/10/07
  7.   grin 17:17  |  Axel 01/10/07
  8.   Chelsea and Spurs 17:21  |  Edifice 01/10/07
  9.   Jews of England 17:31  |  Danite 01/10/07
  10.   Grand can`t hide behind anti-semitism to escape criticism! 17:34  |  Chelsea fan 01/10/07
  11.   soccer is boring 17:44  |  effie 01/10/07
  12.   Chelsea 17:47  |  Michael 01/10/07
  13.   Racism 17:56  |  David 01/10/07
  14.   chavski #10 18:47  |  Reuben Jacobs 01/10/07
  15.   Grant`s mistake 18:51  |  Michael 01/10/07
  16.   #10 chelsea fan - why not get a Muslim manager for your team??? 18:52  |  CK Tan 01/10/07
  17.   Who cares what Grant`s roots are? 18:53  |  Stan 01/10/07
  18.   Barcelona`s example 19:16  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/10/07
  19.   To Danite 19:18  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/10/07
  20.   To CK Tan#16... No problem with a Muslim manager as long as ... 19:26  |  Chelsea fan 01/10/07
  21.   IF GRANT FAILS, HE MUST GO... NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS RELIGION 19:28  |  footmaniac 01/10/07
  22.   THE JEW 19:30  |  Shmuelshachor 01/10/07
  23.   Dear Avram Grant...... 19:36  |  Esther 01/10/07
  24.   For Chelsea fan #10 19:42  |  Esther 01/10/07
  25.   If the BRITS CAN`T BLAME THE JEWS FOR SOMETHING...... 19:44  |  amir 01/10/07
  26.   Britain, a vulgar and mediocre country 19:59  |  Jon 01/10/07
  27.   Muslim Manager 20:03  |  art 01/10/07
  28.   Schmuel from Brazil 20:34  |  Axel 01/10/07
  29.   And finally, who ... 20:40  |  Axel 01/10/07
  30.   eye for an eye never ends 20:50  |  Roger 01/10/07
  31.   They have been chanting "yiddo" at Tottenham fans for years 20:56  |  Ken 01/10/07
  32.   Mourinho was hugely popular with the fans 21:05  |  Steve 01/10/07
  33.   Soccer creatins 21:19  |  Boris 01/10/07
  34.   The Usual British Soccer Yobs 21:30  |  Bill Foonman 01/10/07
  35.   chelsea need the coach immediately 21:31  |  arben 01/10/07
  36.   One small problem 21:36  |  sarlat 01/10/07
  37.   They asked for it.... 22:04  |  Palestinian Brit 01/10/07
  38.   For Chelsea fan 22:05  |  D 01/10/07
  39.   To Axel 22:10  |  dovale 01/10/07
  40.   BRITISH Football hooligans are world famous.What breeds this? 22:12  |  PETER SM 01/10/07
  41.   English soccer: The definition of a waste of time 22:14  |  Matt 01/10/07
  42.   GRAND MUST FIND WAY OUT 22:19  |  DIDIER 01/10/07
  43.   Many in Britain are Antisemitic 22:25  |  Liliane 01/10/07
  44.   Chelsea FC and Avram Grant 22:57  |  peter Wright 01/10/07
  45.   For Steve #32 23:07  |  Esther 01/10/07
  46.   TO NO 3. ARI. GOD BLESS YOU 00:16  |  DANNY 02/10/07
  47.   @37 Matt 00:29  |  Mark B. 02/10/07
  48.   @12 To Michael on a part of the Chelsea supporters 00:51  |  Mark B. 02/10/07
  49.   What is your point, Palestinian Brit? 02:54  |  Fortuna Benmayor 02/10/07
  50.   israeli racism is worse 02:57  |  amir 02/10/07
  51.   #12 Michael 06:28  |  Labhras 02/10/07
  52.   No replacement for Jose 09:03  |  Malinda 02/10/07
  53.   Avram grant 11:44  |  Bfreesun 02/10/07
  54.   Chelsea Chants 13:21  |  Tony 02/10/07
  55.   Chelsea 13:53  |  Bfreesun 02/10/07
  56.   spelling 10:28  |  jamie 04/10/07
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