UNITED defender Rio Ferdinand has launched a scathing attack on UEFA for their failure to stamp out racism in football.
The Reds defender is backing a European Parliament resolution which is calling on referees to be given extended powers to abandon matches where supporters make racially abusive taunts.
Ferdinand has grown increasingly frustrated with UEFA paying little more than 'lip-service' to the problem, which has spread across Italy and Spain and into the heart of Eastern Europe.
The 28-year-old was part of the England side when Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole were singled out for monkey chants by Spanish supporters during last year's friendly in Madrid.
World governing body FIFA imposed a paltry '44,750 fine on the Spanish FA for the abuse, a punishment which attracted widespread criticism.
Since then, Paolo di Canio has defended his use of a fascist salute after Lazio games, while only last month, Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o threatened to walk off the field in protest after he was racially abused by Real Zaragoza supporters.
Eto'o was also taunted in the corresponding fixture last year, yet the Spanish Football Federation fined Zaragoza a paltry 600 Euros ('400), following up with a 9000 Euro fine ('6000) for the latest offence.
Action
Now, Ferdinand is calling for action.
'For too long now, European football authorities have not taken the problem of racism in the game seriously and refuse to acknowledge how widespread the problem is,' he said.
'I talk to a lot of European players and know there are big problems in Spain, in Italy and in Eastern Europe.
'Just look at what happened to Samuel Eto'o. He was racially abused against Zaragoza and what happened? Zaragoza were fined a paltry 9000 Euros by the Spanish Football Federation.
'If he had reacted to the fans that were abusing him by gesturing to them, he would have been fined a couple of weeks' wages at the very least - but, yet again, nothing happens to the fans that abused him.
'It is time for UEFA to stop paying lip-service to the problem. The fines handed out after the England-Spain game were a joke. UEFA should look at imposing huge fines or deducting points within tournaments or competitions.
'If UEFA really is serious about kicking racism into touch they should adopt some of the penalties called for in the (EP) resolution and get on with punishing those who defame the game we all love with their backward, racist views.'
Homework
UEFA director of communications William Gaillard insisted 'we don't feel any limits to what we can do' to combat racism yet added 'we cannot interfere' in the cases Ferdinand spoke of.
Gaillard also suggested Ferdinand 'should do a little bit of homework' to understand how sanctions are handled.
'I understand the reasons for his frustration because racism is a very ugly phenomenon and I think we need to stamp it out,' Gaillard told Sky Sports News.
'At the same time I think a professional football player should do a little bit of homework to understand how the game is organised because he quotes two instances - the Spain against England friendly 18 months ago and then the Zaragoza-Barcelona match.
'He should know both these games were not under UEFA jurisdiction. All international friendlies are played under FIFA jurisdiction while of course Spanish league games are played under the authority of the Spanish football association.
'We cannot interfere. This is just the way the jurisdiction is.'
Gaillard was keen to highlight the work UEFA are doing to stamp out the problem of racism.
'As far as we're concerned we don't feel any limits to what we can do and we have shown that.
'UEFA has been relentless in its fight against racism and we're always ready to do more.'
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I heard comments on TV not sure what channel it was that in the spanish league they dont think there is a problem with racism in spanish football, how ridiculous is that. What does is take for them to see how big the problem actually is, maybee they are waiting for someone to become seriously injured or killed by someone in the crowd first. Makes me sick, eto o come to the EPL, your football will be cherished and not jeered at in this country.
I agree with Rio,racism should be kicked out of football full stop. Their is no qustion about the taunting that continues in games today. I can;t understand racism and anybody who is i find unbelievable. It is time UEFA did something about this and started earning the wages they are receiving.
I wish Rio would concentrate as hard on the pitch as he does off it......
Sorry Rio you have no chance in kicking out racism in Spain as for Italy same again. The English National side should refuse to play Spain and Italy and that might just be the wake up call UEFA need.
Totally agree with Rio - UEFA, and FIFA especially, seem to concentrate on the seemingly unimportant aspects of the game while doing nothing about the issues that ruin football. It's about time the football authorities took action against racism, diving, football agents and corruption in general, all of which are a plague on the game.
Unfortunately this is an own goal by Rio. UEFA have nothing to do with domestic games, which are controlled by the relevent country's Football Association, or International games, which are controlled by FIFA.
To do so little to cure the problem merely advocates and perpetuates it. They aren't part of the solution, so they're part of the problem I'm afraid. Paltry fines and lax attitudes to this abuse mean it will continue until they impose fines that will hurt, ban teams, or dare I say it change results. something tells me this would make teams (and fans) take notice!
2 points here:
1. Would it be tolerated if it was directed at Jews and the holocaust?
2. The Black players should organize through their respective players' associations and include strike potential if no positive action is taken. All of the players' associations coming together should definitely form a strong enough voice.
If the rascist chants happened in England we all know we'd receive harsher punishment. It's the same with hooliganism, when even a few English fans are involved the press and governing bodies come down on us like a ton of bricks. We've cleaned up our act, if anyone made rascist comments in the crowd they'd be ejected and banned. Any player in Spain or Italy, black or white should refuse to play any football until the problem is addressed. They convinced Samuel Eto to continue playing, that's just ignoring the problem.
I think Gillard's response just signifies how unconcerned the authorities are. This matter requires drastic measures being taken but the fact is these bodies are just powerless. Gillard, you're cherry picking by saying you can't do more than you're going at the moment. It's clearly a case of 'won't do' rather than 'can't do'!
This falls into the same catagory as turkish football violence; everybody knows its there but nobody acts. Can you imagine the reaction to a galatasary style "welcome" from an english club? The facts are that politics are more important than racism and dealing with hooliganism; nice try rio but dont hold your breath...
Derrick, how can Rio be wrong when stating a point of Fact. Once again UEFA are hiding behind bureaucracy. ??oeIt is not our Jurisdiction??? is a nonsense statement to come out with.
UEFA has the power to impose sanctions on their own competitions. They seem hell bent on changing the game we love (No tackles allowed etc) so why can??<sup>TM</sup>t they impose strict banning orders against domestic leagues whose fans are guilty of racial abuse.
I.E. No team from a domestic league whose fans racially abuse any player whether on the opposing side or their own shall be allowed to enter the CL or UEFA cup competitions.
THE ONLY WAY TO STAMP OUT RACIAL ABUSE IS TO GET TOUGH! FINES DO NOT WORK!
END OF STORY!!!
Moggzy, I have no problem with draconian measures to drive this neandertal racism out of football, but the bodies to implement those measures are the ones that are in charge and in the cases highlighted that has NOT been UEFA, so, for example, Rio could be equally uninformed try and blame the English FA for not acting in the case of the recent Paris StG internal racist fighting in a French league game. He should have critisized the penalising bodies of FIFA and the Spanish FA, is all, not UEFA which had nothing to do with the two incidents.
Derrick,
I appreciate that the comments Rio made are miss directed BUT!!: - it really doesn??<sup>TM</sup>t matter who is criticised in this matter, or any other matter relating to football wrongs, whether, racial, violent or corrupt.
All of the governing bodies need to work together not only with sanctioning, but with re-education and if need be ??oedraconian??? banning orders. Without this co-operation then the fights that need to be fought will never be won, that??<sup>TM</sup>s why I can't condemn Rio for saying what he said. Anybody in a position of power within the game of football has a duty to make the game an opportunity of equality and fairness.
The game is bigger than any one governing body; it is a game of the people, all people.
Good debate though!