BENGALURU: “A man from India to play for Lyon!” This was the first reaction of the French football fans when Vikash Dhorasoo turned out for the Ligue 1 club in 1998. But the struggles of a Indo-Mauritius origin player from Le Havre, a working class neighbourhood, didn't stop him from chasing his dreams as he went on to win the runners-up medal in the 2006 World Cup.
“I was the first Indian-origin footballer to play for France. I'm proud of that. I would like to be the bridge between France and India to help India make progress in football,” Dhorasoo said here on Tuesday. “I think Indian players can do well in Europe. They don't know much about India except for Bollywood movies and Goa.”
Dhorasoo, who was here as part of a sponsored tour, was vocal about the menace of racism in football and said the authorities are not doing enough.
“Racism always existed in football, inside the stadium and outside the pitch. To curb this, we have to be decision makers because as players, we can't decide on these matters. I’m not white but I'm not black either. But I see racism and have experienced it,” said the former midfielder who also appeared in 'Simply Black' which featured on Netflix.
Dhorasoo also said he tried to buy a club in France with a friend in 2009 but it didn’t work out as they didn’t want to sell it to Indians.
"In France, many people of Indian origin sell maize outside the subways. Sometimes people think he is a corn seller. There are a lot of stereotypes," Samuel Berthet, director of Alliance Francaise in Hyderabad, said.
Referring to the resignation of French football federation president Noel Le Graet earlier this year, Dhorasoo said: “The first point in the Federation's constitution is to fight against discrimination.”
The former PSG and AC Milan player, who shared the dressing room with the likes of Paolo Malidini, Cafu and Kaka, said nothing changed even after France won the World Cup in 1998.
“There's no progress and it (racism) continues. It's difficult for a boy from a middle class family to make it to the top,” he said.
