A picture is worth a thousand words, and even though government officials are trying to reassure football fans and the world that racism, anti-semitism and football hooliganism are "invented", "mythical" and "isolated" problems in Poland and Ukraine, it is difficult to argue with images.
The release of a documentary Euro 2012: Stadiums of Hate by the BBC current affairs programme Panorama has been a public relations disaster for the hosts of the European Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012, which is due to kick off on June 8.
Images of Nazi salutes, "Sieg Heil" chants, monkey noise taunts directed at black players, and Asian students being violently assaulted don't look invented or mythical to me, and if I were a football fan considering my options I'd rather take England captain Sol Campbell's advice and "stay at home and watch it on TV".
I wouldn't care if these were isolated cases. All it takes is one random act of violence to make you fear for your life or lose your life altogether.
Politicians and event organisers from Ukraine and Poland are in major damage control, denying that there are widespread issues, or arguing racism and hooliganism are no worse in Poland and Ukraine than they are in other countries.
People who express concern for non-white football fans travelling to the Euro 2012 event, or advise travellers "of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent and individuals belonging to religious minorities to take extra care" must also be delusional.
Despite the denial of government officials, it appears racism is widespread in Ukraine, as a 2012 report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) claims that tolerance towards Jews, Russians and Roma (gypsies) has significantly declined since 2000, and prejudices are also reflected in daily life against other groups, who experience problems in accessing goods and services.
Even before the Euro 2012 documentary aired, family members of players such as England's Theo Walcott, of Jamaican descent, indicated they wouldn't travel to Ukraine for fear of racist attacks.
This is despite reassurances from Uefa and Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare) that they will create safe zones for non-white fans at the event where "all differences will be welcome".
Nice gesture, but in reality as a non-white fan you'd still have to survive the hatred directed at you in the stadium and on the way to and from the stadiums and supposedly "safe" zones.
The "Let's Kick Racism Out of Football" campaign established in 1993 tries to challenge racist discrimination and harassment through football and community/educational initiatives.
The portrayal of Ukraine's football fans and hooligans by the BBC suggests the problem is still alive and thriving in some cases, and rather than kick racism out of the stadium, they've merely dribbled it slightly down the field.
Racism these days is hard to identify because of its complex and often institutionalised relationship with nationality, ethnicity and culture.
How much would you have to love your team and express your national pride to risk being beaten up at a football match because of the colour of your skin and the culture it symbolises?
Although I'm the first to suggest racism still exists in New Zealand, I'm glad I live here and not there.
At least I can go to a rugby game without getting my head bashed in by those around me, and the strongest racist taunts directed at supporters or players of the brown variety would be "you people are so unpredictable" or "their problem is too many cheeky brownies".
Hmmm . . . is that something to be proud of?
