News in 2006

28th June 2006

FIFA get tough on racism

FIFA have warned they will suspend national associations who fail to impose tough new rules on racism.

At the launch of an anti-racism drive in Berlin, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the regulations - including docking points from clubs and countries whose fans are guilty of racism offences - were obligatory.

Blatter said: "The first responsibilities lie with the national associations and if they are not doing what is expected of them then FIFA's executive committee must intervene."

He added: "The power and the responsibility lies with FIFA and the suspension of a federation is the ultimate sanction available to the disciplinary committee.

"This is a fight against a devil which still exists unfortunately in our sport."

Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front in France, said this week there should be more white players in the French team.

He said the French people did not fully identify with the national team because there were too many "players of colour".

FIFA's congress in Munich earlier this month ratified the tough new rules and they will be brought in from the end of the World Cup. The launch was also attended by Tokyo Sexwale, a member of the South African 2010 World Cup organising committee who was imprisoned on Robben Island for 15 years.

Sexwale said: "The flames of racism ignited by a minority around soccer matches cannot and must not be allowed to divide the family of football."

German organising committee chairman Franz Beckenbauer, interior minister Wolfgang Schauble and representatives from the players' union FIFPro and UNICEF also attended.

Source: IC Coventry