AEK Athens player banned for life for Nazi salute.

But he's not been pressed with criminal charges, so I don't see your point. You're saying he shouldn't be banned from playing for AEK, which he hasn't. He's been banned from playing for the Greek national team. Which is perfectly acceptable given that he has offended a lot of people from the nation that he would have gone on to represent. A perfectly justifiable punishment.

 

I understand what you are getting at Tash. Part of being a free country is allowing people the freedom to think and say things that we don't like. And as distasteful as I find it the freedom to express views extends to racists and fascists. However, when anybody is employed then they become subject to additional expectations. Our employers are allowed to put extra restrictions on how we behave. Its not illegal to post nude pics of yourself online, but teachers would be sacked for it. Its not illegal to drink alcohol but some professions ban you from doing so up to 24 hours before working. For footballers it is about what brings the game into disrepute. What we are entitled to as citizens is one thing, and as employees another.

 

Yeah Tash, I know what you're saying, but if an England player said "I don't like black people" - whilst he is within his rights to harbour those views, I wouldn't want him representing our country because in doing so he is representing those people he claims to hate!