A mediation analysis is in the works for a dispute that broke out between Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra, both professional soccer players in the United Kingdom.  Evra plays for Manchester United and Suarez is a striker on the Liverpool team.  During a recent match in Anfield, Evra accused Suarez of racial abuse.  Suarez has denied the charge and stated that he finds it upsetting.

Mediation Analysis of Incident May Prove Helpful

Gordon Taylor, who serves as chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, a soccer organization in the UK, has announced that mediation may be the solution to the dispute.  According to Gordon, a mediation analysis of the incident is "something we've done in the past and it's something I hope we'll be asked to do in the future.  We need to try to cool down and reflect on what happened and to contact the FA [Footballers' Association] and see what form their inquiry will take.  It's good to get this put behind us as quickly as possible instead of letting these things fester and become blown up again."

This is precisely the point of mediation, an alternative dispute resolution strategy that seeks to help parties in dispute find ways to avoid conflict in the future.  Most sports and family mediation sessions involve at least some elements of analysis, since uncovering the underlying causes of conflict can help people come to terms with their difficulties so that future conflicts can be averted.