SBS Dateline | Stadiums of Hate

The Euro 2012 tournament is supposed to represent a united European family of football, but nothing could be further from the thoughts of some fans in the host countries of Poland and Ukraine.

As the matches get underway, Dateline broadcasts a special investigation by the BBC’s Panorama into entrenched racism and organised violence among football supporters in both countries.

Chris Rogers sees first-hand the Nazi worship and anti-semitism at matches and in local communities, hears black players being targeted as ‘monkeys’, and witnesses Indian fans being attacked on the terraces while officials look on.

One senior Ukrainian policeman even insists that what appears to be a Nazi salute is in fact friendly fans pointing at their opponents.

The tournament organiser, UEFA, says it has zero tolerance of racism and defends its choice of host nations, but it’s coming under increased scrutiny about its decision and whether it can ensure the safety of visiting teams and their supporters.

WATCH - Apologies, but this special investigation is no longer available to watch for copyright reasons. You can however still read the transcript.

EURO 2012 - SBS is broadcasting Euro 2012, including live coverage of four finals. Go to The World Game website for all the details.

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