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FIFA plans league table of nations' racism

FIFA's Tokyo Sexwale says a global "barometer" of countries with racism problems is central to the football governing body's work tackling discrimination.

FIFA plans to create an international league table of countries which have problems with racism and discrimination in sports.

At a United Nations forum on racism and football on Monday, FIFA delegate Tokyo Sexwale said the global "barometer" is central to the football governing body's work to tackle discrimination.

"The barometer is going to tell that society that the conduct of your sporting people is bringing your country down," Sexwale, a member of FIFA's Task Force against Racism and Discrimination told his audience of diplomats and officials.

"I don't think anybody here would like to be low on the barometer."

The South African former anti-apartheid activist said FIFA will organise a summit on racism next year with the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Sexwale, a Liverpool fan, also cited the case of the club's forward Luis Suarez, who served an eight-match ban for racially insulting a black opponent in a Premier League match in 2011.

FIFA intends giving more details of its anti-discrimination project at a sports conference in Qatar, scheduled Dec. 9-11.

Closer monitoring of countries where incidents involving players or fans are reported is "very, very key" to FIFA's work, Sexwale told the audience at the U.N.'s European headquarters.

"We are taking the bull by the horns beyond football in recognition of the fact that FIFA has taken the lead once again," he said.

In January, FIFA President Sepp Blatter created a racism task force after Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, then playing for AC Milan, led his teammates off the pitch after being abused by fans during a friendly against a fourth-tier Italian club.


2 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP


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