Former Liverpool club doctor Zaf Iqbal took to Twitter on Sunday as he and his family were victims of a racist comment outside Selhurst Park.
Now employed by Crystal Palace, Dr Iqbal was taking his children to their first game as the Eagles faced Bournemouth on the final day. What should have been the highlight of their week turned into an uncomfortable afternoon.
As his tweets say, racism is not just a football problem – society needs to change. There is absolutely no place for this sort of thing within football or elsewhere.
Devastated and speechless. Taking my 2 youngest kids to their first ever game at Selhurst park and walking a few hundred yards from the stadium a 3 y old shouted to his dad – ‘Look daddy there’s some Pakis’. His dad ‘attempted to scold’ him. Racism is not just a football problem
— DrZaf (@sportsdrzaf) May 12, 2019
The thing that upsets me most is that my 12 year old daughter came to me to ask if I’d heard it and I didn’t know what to say. Should I have told off the dad? I was just gobsmacked. Again I reiterate this is not because of football but a society issue. Anyway taking kids on pitch
— DrZaf (@sportsdrzaf) May 12, 2019
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It would have been a terrible experience for both him and his children to go through – and it should not have a place in society. Unfortunately, for now, though, the issue persists.
Hopefully, it will not put off any of them from visiting Selhurst Park again.