UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Fifa President Sepp Blatter schedules world-wide sanctions against racism and UEFA President Michel Platini calls again for a sports police force to combat match-fixing

Record ID: 837413

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Fifa President Sepp Blatter schedules world-wide sanctions against racism and UEFA President Michel Platini calls again for a sports police force to combat match-fixing
  • Date: 24th May 2013
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 24, 2013) (REUTERS) UEFA CONGRESS DELEGATES (SOUNDBITE) (English) FIFA PRESIDENT SEPP BLATTER SAYS: "One theme I have to touch - it is racism. And racism and discrimination is one thing that you are going to take a resolution. And I congratulate you that you are doing that because it will be a first important step. But you know that together with the executive committee we have decided that we must have a resolution that shall be accepted by the 209 associations in FIFA and what we want to do in Mauritius, and the chairman of this special taskforce, it is Mr Geoffrey Webb, the vice-president of FIFA. Because we have to do it globally. We thank you that we are starting but it must be a global approach, a global approach in educating people but a global approach in sanctioning." DELEGATES (SOUNDBITE) (French) UEFA PRESIDENT MICHEL PLATINI SAYS: "Six years ago in response to this problem of betting, corruption and match-fixing, as well as problems of hooliganism and doping, I called for the establishment of a European sports police force. There has been no response to those calls so far. Given the absence of any reaction and the lack of awareness on the part of politicians, I renew that call today. "And if by misfortune this call again falls on deaf ears, I ask that each country, at the very least, adopts specific provisions of national legislation addressing the issue of match-fixing, in order to finally have the legal tools rigorously to punish these cheats." DELEGATES (SOUNDBITE) (French) UEFA PRESIDENT MICHEL PLATINI SAYS: "Discrimination, be it racial or sexual, is still present in football today, and we owe it to ourselves to act. By working on prevention and education of course as that is an essential element of any ambitious strategy in this area, but also by imposing the necessary sanctions." END OF SPEECH, DELEGATES OUTSIDE MEETING AT GROSVENOR HOUSE, SUPPORTERS OF GIBRALTAR AS THE 54TH MEMBER OF UEFA WEAR SHIRTS MARKED "TEAM 54" PROTESTERS AGAINST UNDER-21 TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN ISRAEL NEXT MONTH VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS/LONDON POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF PROTESTERS
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAOK6O8RABEC41QFLCK6UZA27P
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  • Story Text: FIFA President Sepp Blatter told delegates at UEFA's congress meeting in London on Friday (May 24) that a global resolution against racism and discrimination was planned for his organisation's congress next week.
    FIFA's next congress meeting is in Mauritius on May 30 and 31.

    "You know that together with the executive committee we have decided that we must have a resolution that shall be accepted by the 209 associations in FIFA," Blatter told the UEFA congress held in London, the day before the Champions League final in the city.

    "The chairman of this special taskforce, it is Mr Geoffrey Webb, the vice-president of FIFA. Because we have to do it globally. We thank you that we are starting but it must be a global approach, a global approach in educating people but a global approach in sanctioning," Blatter went on.
    Measures that have been mooted in the past were officials assigned to monitor for racism by fans, players or team officials; a scale of offences with sanctions, and making teams more responsible for offences which occur within their grounds.
    On Thursday (May 23) UEFA's executive committee approved tough disciplinary regulations that players or officials found guilty of racist offences in European club matches or internationals will face a minimum ban of 10 matches.
    In his address to delegates, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president Michel Platini renewed his call for the formation of a European sports police force, telling delegates at the opening of the UEFA Congress he was upset that his appeal for one had been ignored.

    "Six years ago in response to this problem of betting, corruption and match-fixing, as well as problems of hooliganism and doping, I called for the establishment of a European sports police force. There has been no response to those calls so far. Given the absence of any reaction and the lack of awareness on the part of politicians, I renew that call today," Platini said.
    He added that he wanted governments to use national legislation to make sure match-fixing was a punishable offence.
    Platini, addressing delegates from UEFA's 53 member nations, said the issues of match-fixing and betting, discrimination and the financial troubles of many clubs were "poisoning football from within" and a sports police force would help the game to deal with its problems.
    Gibraltar was finally accepted as a member of European soccer's governing body UEFA after a 14-year battle during which they faced fierce opposition from Spain.
    UEFA's annual Congress voted in favour of a motion to allow the tiny British colony, with 28,000 residents, to become their 54th member, meaning that their national team and clubs are now eligible to play in international competition.
    Outside the Grosvenor House, where UEFA's meeting was taking place, supporters of Gibraltar's membership donned "Team 54" soccer shirts to celebrate the move.
    Over the road from the meeting protesters demonstrated against Israel as the venue for UEFA's Under-21 soccer tournament next month.
    The protesters accused Israel of racism and called for any Palestinian soccer players held by Israel without trial to be released.
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