Time to get tough on racism in football

By David Lee Wheatley

UEFA’s punishment of CSKA Moscow for the latest in a string of racism-related incidents inside various football stadia is far, far too lenient.

What do the ‘fans’ involved care if they must uproot themselves from their usual position to another part of the stadium in order to continue conducting their vitriolic abuse of opposing players from other ethnic groups and races?

The only way for the leaders of European and world football to make a clear stand against such hideous prejudice is to begin deducting points and even banning clubs from European competition altogether.

Actions such as those will send a strong message that such vile behaviour will not be tolerated and will truly strike at the very core of clubs and their followers. A lack of top-tier continental action would harm them from a financial point of view, as well as taking away the prestige which taking part in the Champions League and Europa League delivers. Only then will it prove the zero-tolerance policy that UEFA claim to have for this kind of situation actually exists, as partially (or fully) closing stadia does absolutely nothing at all to deter the morons who perpetrate these heinous crimes.

More drastic and assertive measures from the powers-that-be would also act as a kick up the backside for the clubs themselves, making it impossible for them to ignore what is going on in front of their very eyes. Piffling fines and stadium bans serve not as a deterrent, but more as a way of proving just how toothless the aforementioned organisations are.

Tough new regulations must be put in place swiftly and what a legacy it would be for either or both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini if they were to spearhead a disciplinary revolution leading to the eradication of such abusive and unwanted behaviour in the seating decks of football grounds across the world.

As we currently stand, the degenerates causing all of the aggravation and trouble are simply laughing at the governing bodies at present and have been doing so for a very long period of time. They would be laughing on the other side of their faces if their beloved clubs were kicked out of European competition for such offences.

With the assistance and backing of lawmakers and the police forces that patrol matches, it’s now high-time FIFA and UEFA got a grip to help rid this disease from the sport we love as soon as possible.

Twitter: @davewh1980