FORMER Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has insisnted Luis Suarez is NOT a racist – as he gave his backing to Jamie Carragher after he apologised to Patrice Evra.
Carragher apologised to the Frenchman for the Reds’ handling of the infamous race storm of December 2011 during Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football earlier this week.
Eight years ago, Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing Evra by The FA, with Liverpool players wearing “Suarez 7” T-shirts in support of their team-mate ahead of their subsequent game with Wigan.
Now Johnson – who was also at the club at the time – has told talkSPORT: “Carra was right to apologise and I’d have to agree with him; I think the timing of it was wrong as the ban was so close.
“But in the club’s defence, they were just trying to support one of their players.
“I don’t think anyone in that dressing room or at the club believed Luis was racist or capable of being racist.”
Johnson backed up his claim by saying he “wouldn’t be friends with a racist”, saying: “I know Luis really well.
“I get on well with him, so I find it very, very hard to believe that he would have done something like that.
“It’s a very sticky situation for me; I’m stuck in the middle because Luis and I are good mates, and I wouldn’t be friends with a racist.
“I wouldn’t be. I’d be the first to turn my back on him and that’s why it’s awkward for me.”
Carragher had previously told Evra: Apologies. There is no doubt we made a massive mistake.
“That was obvious. As a club we got it massively wrong. I didn’t have enough courage to say I’m not wearing it.
Evra – who recently revealed he wanted to punch Suarez – recalled seeing Liverpool wearing the T-shirts, saying: This is ridiculous. It’s unbelievable.
“Even for the club, you put your own club into danger when you do those sorts of things.
This was after the ban so which message do you send to the world when you do that.
But I never go to the court and said Luis Suarez is a racist because he used some racist words.
I said, ‘I don’t want you to ban Luis Suarez but I just want you to be aware of it because I didn’t react.
Because imagine that day I was punching him, all the TV and the kids will see me punching Luis Suarez and I will look like the villain.
Even if you fine someone he won’t care. It’s about the education. Doing something like sending him to Africa, helping the kids and see we are all the same.
I just want to be the best human being I can. I’m not perfect.
Rio Ferdinand went on to slam Liverpool for their handling of the Suarez race saga – but did praise Carragher for his honesty.
