SOCCER-WORLD/DRAW-RACISM Players can walk off pitch if they want, says Forlan

Record ID: 149490

  • Title: SOCCER-WORLD/DRAW-RACISM Players can walk off pitch if they want, says Forlan
  • Date: 24th July 2015
  • Summary: ST. PETERSBURG (JULY 24, 2015) (REUTERS) FORMER URUGUAY INTERNATIONAL, DIEGO FORLAN, TALKING TO MEDIA MEDIA IN MIXED ZONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER URUGUAY INTERNATIONAL, DIEGO FORLAN, TALKING ABOUT WHETHER PLAYERS SHOULD WALK OFF A SOCCER PITCH IF THEY FEEL DISCRIMINATED, SAYING: "Yes it's important. It's every player's decision. It's difficult to be in its place but y
  • Embargoed: 8th August 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAG4NZ861TRU0YDR44LH274RL8
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Players have the right to walk off a soccer pitch if they believe they have been racially abused, Diego Forlan told reporters in St Petersburg on Friday (July 24).
    The former Uruguay international was asked the question in a media event ahead of the Preliminary draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
    The problem of racism was again brought under the spotlight when Ghanaian Emmanuel Frimpong said he was racially abused in a match at Spartak Moscow last weekend.
    Frimpong, who plays for Ufa, was sent off, and later suspended for two league matches after raising a finger to fans who he said had made monkey chants.
    On Wednesday (July 22), the Russian Football Union (RFU) rejected the racism allegations, a ruling Frimpong said was "beyond a joke."
    In the past some players have walked off the pitch in protest and Forlan said it was up to each player to decide what to do.
    "Yes it's important. It's every player's decision," Forlan said. "It's difficult to be in its place but you're not going to prove this reaction of the people so we hope it's going to be everything OK and we are going to be talking about football and not other things (during the 2018 World Cup).
    "I hope it's going to be a nice World Cup like every other World Cup. The only thing we have to talk about is football, not talk about other things so we hope everything is going to be OK."
    Former Real Madrid defender Fabio Cannavaro echoed Forlan's sentiments.
    "The most important is in football is the respect for everybody and I hope in the future Russia we can only talk about the scenes about the good score and that's it," said Cannavaro who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006.
    Cannavaro and Forlan are taking part in Saturday's Preliminary draw as assistants.
    Zenit St Petersburg's Brazilian striker Hulk has pulled out the draw, only days after complaining of "gross and ugly" racism in Russian soccer.
    The Brazilian international will be replaced by former Russia captain Alexey Smertin as one of the draw assistants for Saturday's event in St Petersburg, FIFA said in a statement, adding that Hulk had withdrawn due to club commitments.
    Zenit are away to FC Ural on Sunday in a Russian Premier League match, although there have been no alterations to the fixture list since FIFA initially announced on Wednesday that Hulk would take part in the draw.
    The World Cup's local organising committee said the decision was made purely on sporting grounds by Zenit coach Andre Villas-Boas.
    Russia, hosts for the 2018 World Cup, have repeatedly been criticised for failure to tackle racism in domestic soccer.
    There have been some calls in the media for the World Cup to be taken away from Russia on grounds of corruption and the wider social problems the country faces including racism.
    However, when that question was put to former Soviet Union goalkeeper, Rinat Dasaev, he was resolute in his answer.
    "I am sure, why shouldn't the World Cup be in Russia?" Dasaev said. "I don't have such thoughts in my head. It has to be definitely."
    Hulk's team mate and Russia international, Alexander Kerzhakov said Russia will host a memorable tournament for the right reasons.
    "The Russians deserve to host a World Cup and I think it will be one of the best World Cups in the whole history because we are Russians and we can organise a very spectacular celebration."
    Kerzhakov and Dasaev will also take part in the draw alongside Ronaldo (Brazil), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon) and Oliver Bierhoff (Germany).
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