By Francis Ajuonuma
One-time Super Eagles invitee, Emmanuel Olisadebe has revealed that he was a subject of racism abuse, while playing in Poland, despite he was a Polish national team player.
The former Jasper United of Nnewi (now defunct) hitman dumped Nigeria and took up Polish citizenship in 2000 after the Polish football authority offered him opportunity to star for the national team ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/ Japan.
Speaking in an interview, Olisadebe described his experience in the hands of some Polish racists known as White Power Skinheads as very frustrating and discouraging.
According to him, the racist attacks towards him at a stage became so unbearable that he was forced to question himself if he had taken the right decision to naturalize as Polish citizen.
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“Whether if I experienced racism in Poland? Of course, I experienced a lot of racism attacks in Poland. It got to a stage that I even asked myself if it was the right decision that I made, taking up the Polish citizenship and playing for the national team. That was how difficult and tensed the situation was as at that time.
“In spite the fact that I was scoring goals for the team, it was like some group of people don’t really want to accept that, the black guy is trying and so the FA had to come in and quench the situation, saying that guys, this player has been playing for us and scoring goals for us and by the grace of God we’ll qualify for the World Cup, so they should calm down,” he said.
“Because in Poland there is this group of people like in every other European country known as White Power Skinheads, these people do not like anybody, especially when you’re so black, so it was like that, I experienced a lot of racism, even when I was playing at the Poland club level, they threw bananas at me but it’s in the past now. It’s all part of the experience,” he added.
lisadebe moved to Poland in 1997 after signing for Polonia Warsaw from Jasper United and spent four years at the club, making 66 appearances and registering 20 goals.
His exploits at the club convinced the Polish FA to offer him a national team call up in 2000 which he grabbed with his two hands, leading to his taking the Polish citizenship.
In his four years stint with the Polish national team, Olisadebe had 25 caps and scored 11 goals.
The former Portsmouth of England striker also played in the colour of Greek Giants, Panathinaikos, where he featured in 74 matches and scored 28 goals from 2001-2005.
