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Mikel Arteta has urged football to prioritise changing the culture that surrounds the game and eradicate “hatred”, saying: “We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out.”
Arteta’s plea was made after police opened an investigation regarding the threats directed at the referee Michael Oliver, whose home was placed under police guard after he sent off Myles Lewis-Skelly for a tackle on Matt Doherty at Wolves on Saturday.
The decision was reviewed and upheld by the video assistant referee, Darren England, but Arsenal appealed and the red card was overturned on Tuesday, within hours of the evidence being presented to the Football Association.
Confirmation came through as Lewis-Skelly slept on the team’s flight to their final game of the Champions League first phase, against Girona, with an independent commission upholding the claim of wrongful dismissal.
Arteta, however, said it was time to act after Oliver and his family had received threats and abuse that the Professional Game Match Officials Limited called “abhorrent”. The Arsenal manager said: “Every time I talk about this topic [my view] is the same, regardless of whether it is a player or a coach or a referee. We have to really work harder to try to eradicate that part of the game that brings nothing but bad stuff, bad taste and it makes people’s lives more difficult.”
Asked if that was his message for Arsenal fans, he said: “For everyone in football. It should not be permitted. We don’t want it, we don’t need it, it can only damage our sport, so let’s get it out.
“We’re always putting a lot of emphasis on evolving, on where football is going in the next five, 10 years, on the rules, and all that sort of thing. But one of the most important things we can do to evolve is create an environment that’s much better at a social level, one that’s healthier, that’s nicer, in which we reward things that are not only winning, that when people make mistakes they have the chance to make amends.
“We shouldn’t be here with this hatred, these things we see, because they affect everyone and in the end they take away the joy of this sport, the reason for it – which is to enjoy ourselves, have good moments.
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“[We have to] spend more time making the right decisions with the right people to get it out. Then, the same as we have put laws and measures and regulation and that kind of thing … they do that, why haven’t we done it [with this]? We are all talking about it, but no one seems to be moving strongly enough and bringing people with them to get that out of the game, because it’s just unacceptable.”
If these have been difficult days for Lewis-Skelly, there was no sign of that on the flight to Spain. “He was sleeping on the plane when I looked back and I got the news,” Arteta said. “I haven’t spoken to him. I was working and he was at the back, so I didn’t [wake him up]. We are obviously very happy that the decision has been made and that Myles is going to be able to play for us again in the next few games.
“I am not an expert in the field. The club has put all the evidence and everything that they could put together to defend our position, and it was pretty fast. [It’s] so good to know today, that’s helpful, so thank you. It does affect us because we had a lot of uncertainty, not only for Sunday, but for tomorrow and for the next few games as well. So now we have more options, he’s going to be available, which is something very positive for the team.”
