Sports
Blatter: FIFA Must Do More Against Racism
Russian President Vladimir Putin, standing, is flanked by IOC president Thomas Bach, left, and FIFA President Sepp Blatter while watching the World Cup final soccer match between Germany and Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, July 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — FIFA President Sepp Blatter has criticized the way discrimination incidents were dealt with at World Cup matches.
Blatter says “I am not at all happy with the way we fought against racism.”
The FIFA president says he spoke with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin at Sunday’s final about making the issue a priority at the 2018 World Cup there.
Blatter and Brazil state President Dilma Rousseff had said this World Cup would take a stand against discrimination.
However, reported incidents of fans chanting gay slurs, displaying far-right banners and wearing black face-up make brought no disciplinary action.
FIFA’s own racism task force chairman, Jeffrey Webb, described a “disconnect” between his group and FIFA’s disciplinary panel.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
