The Hindu : Mixed reaction to FIFA's anti-racism campaign

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 23, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

Mixed reaction to FIFA's anti-racism campaign

SAINT-ETIENNE June 22. It seemed like a good idea to make a stand against racism during the Confederations Cup, a tournament bringing together the champions of all continents.

FIFA rolled its videotapes of interracial cooperation on the soccer field and asked that opposing players shake hands after their matches.

The first match to coincide with the two-day effort was Turkey's game against Cameroon on Saturday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

Before the game, opposing players linked arms to celebrate the FIFA initiative. After Cameroon won, courtesy of a disputed late penalty, the feel-good atmosphere quickly evaporated. Clusters of Turkey's fans — the large majority of the 43,743 people in attendance — scuffled with security guards and pelted the field with bottles.

``They are fanatical fans, Cameroon has fanatical fans too, it's normal for there to be a few problems,'' Turkey midfielder Yildiray Basturk said. ``But perhaps it would have been better to segregate the fans.''

There were no problems between the players, who lined up dutifully to greet one another after the match.

The handshake protocol was also followed without protest after Brazil's win against the United States in Lyon on Saturday. France captain Marcel Desailly sounded a warning when told of the new procedure before his team's game against New Zealand on Sunday.

``I can't be forced to shake the opponents' hand,'' he said. ``I shake the hand of the person nearest me anyway. If I have to shake 23 people's hands we'll never see the end of it.''

U.S. coach Bruce Arena agreed.

``It's going a bit overboard to require it after the game,'' he said. ``That's something people in suits think is important. It puts a lot of pressure on the referee. Sometimes it's best that opponents are separated.''

Not everyone was against the new formality.

``Racism needs to be banished,'' said Cameroon midfielder Geremi, who scored the late penalty against Turkey. ``FIFA is doing the right thing.''

While Geremi said he has never been the subject of racist taunts or acts, plenty of other black players are consistently jeered by opposing fans. Some are even criticised by their own team's supporters.

Slovakia was forced to play a Euro 2004 qualifying match behind closed doors as punishment for the racist behaviour of its fans, who likened England's black players to monkeys in an October match.

English hooligans, of course, are some of the worst offenders when it comes to racism and violence at soccer matches.

With that in mind, England turned down its ticket allocation for an upcoming Euro 2004 qualifier in Macedonia to avoid bad behaviour by its fans after UEFA warned that such a display could warrant automatic disqualification from next year's tournament in Portugal.

Fair play is part of FIFA's slogan for the two-day initiative, although Senes Erzik, chairman of the FIFA committee for security and fair play, acknowledged that soccer has a long way to go before it is free of all discrimination.

``Our sport is a reflection of society and is not devoid of the phenomena threatening modern society,'' he said. — AP

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