Blatter rapped for racism comments

Sepp Blatter
12 April 2012

FIFA president Sepp Blatter's leadership has been called into question after he was forced to clarify comments that racist abuse between players on the pitch should be settled by a handshake.

Blatter made the claim in two separate television interviews to provoke an angry response from around the football world. While the 75-year-old later claimed he had been misunderstood his comments provided another chapter in a controversial reign as the head of FIFA.

Blatter has remained steadfast as the top of world football's governing body for 13 years, however, he was branded "worryingly out of touch" by anti-racism group 'Kick It Out'. Former England skipper Rio Ferdinand was also outspoken, describing the comments as "astonishing" on his Twitter page.

Asked if racism was a problem on the pitch, Blatter had earlier told CNN World Sport: "I would deny it. There is no racism, there is maybe one of the players towards another, he has a word or a gesture which is not the correct one, but also the one who is affected by that.

"He should say that this is a game. We are in a game, and at the end of the game, we shake hands, and this can happen, because we have worked so hard against racism and discrimination."

He also said on Al Jazeera: "During a match you may say something to someone who's not looking exactly like you, but at end of match it's forgotten."

Kick It Out quickly condemned the comments and claimed they revealed a concerning lack of leadership from Blatter. "These comments are worryingly out of touch," a statement read.

"Shaking hands to compensate for a racial slur is not what the game has signed up to, and trivialises the work of campaigns like Kick It Out, which has been in the vanguard of rooting out discrimination and unacceptable behaviour in our game for the best part of two decades.

"But leadership is needed to make headway. And comments like this don't help in the ultimate goal of kicking racism out football and making it a discrimination free zone."

Manchester United defender Ferdinand also contacted Blatter's Twitter page directly, writing: "@SeppBlatter your comments on racism are so condescending its almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that ok?"

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