News in 2006

08th April 2006

FIFA clarifies racism crackdown

Football's governing body Fifa has clarified the deadline they set for the implementation of a new law that punishes clubs whose fans racially abuse players.

This comes after the Italian club Inter Milan escaped with a mere fine after some of their fans racially abused Messina's Ivorian Marc Zoro last week.

Under the new system, clubs found guilty of failing to prevent their supporters from abusing players on racial grounds could be docked three points for a first offence, six for a second and even relegated in the case of repeated incidents.

But on Wednesday, Inter Milan escaped with a fine of just US$31,000 from the Italian football authorities as punishment for the racist behaviour of their fans during a Serie A match against Messina on Saturday, with no hint of a points deduction.

In a statement posted on their website, Fifa said the new ruling would come into effect immediately for those football associations whose regulations already contain a clause setting out the same punishment.

But other football associations that have no such rule regarding racial abuse, such as Italy, have been given a 1 July deadline to implement the new law, Fifa said.

Zoro was subjected to monkey chants at the San Siro, leading to speculation that Inter may be the first club to fall foul of Fifa's tough new laws.

A points deduction would have hit Inter Milan's Champions League qualification hopes but observers around Europe were stunned to see the Italian giants let off with just a fine.

It was the second time this season that Zoro had been racially abused by Inter fans.

Source: BBC