Everyone must be aware by now of the ammendments made to article 55 of the Fifa disciplinary code, brought in to stem the tide of racist fans.
Clubs will be docked 3 points for a first offence of that clubs fans behaving in a racist manner.
A second offence will result in a 6 point deduction, and a further offence will result in relegation to a lower league.
Very strong move on Fifa's part. I for one welcome it with open arms. Now lets see the racists be the ruin of their own clubs.
PRESS STATEMENT
Invited for the first of two days of meetings of the FIFA Executive Committee, French international and Juventus player Lilian Thuram today (16 March) provided testimony on his firm fight against racism in football, notably declaring that "there is only one race, the human race. Certain people take football hostage. Some people will never learn and that is the reason for which FIFA must intervene so as to return sanity to the game and keep these people away from the stadiums."
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Thuram had already taken part in the first FIFA Conference against Racism in Buenos Aires in July 2001, prior to the FIFA Extraordinary Congress during which the FIFA Anti-Discrimination Day was established.
Having heard Thuram's testimony, the Executive Committee approved an amendment to article 55 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code at the proposal of the FIFA President, allowing for very strict sanctions to be imposed after acts of racism or discrimination in football.
The measures range from match suspensions and deduction of points (3 points for a first offence, 6 for a second and relegation in case of further offences) to disqualification of a team from a competition, depending on the case. Confederations and member associations will be compelled to incorporate these provisions in their regulations, and any association that infringes the article can be excluded from international football for two years.
"I have repeatedly stressed FIFA's and my firm personal stance against racism and discrimination, but recent events have demonstrated that there is a need for concerted action and an urgency for more severe measures to be adopted in order to kick this evil out of the beautiful game. I am therefore extremely pleased that the football family and the FIFA Executive Committee have today taken a big step in this direction", stated the FIFA President.
Lilian Thuram congratulated FIFA for this initiative, stating: "Now that the clubs and associations have an obligation to find a solution, they will find the solutions necessary to eliminate this plague."
http://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,115780,00.html
Clubs will be docked 3 points for a first offence of that clubs fans behaving in a racist manner.
A second offence will result in a 6 point deduction, and a further offence will result in relegation to a lower league.
Very strong move on Fifa's part. I for one welcome it with open arms. Now lets see the racists be the ruin of their own clubs.
PRESS STATEMENT
Invited for the first of two days of meetings of the FIFA Executive Committee, French international and Juventus player Lilian Thuram today (16 March) provided testimony on his firm fight against racism in football, notably declaring that "there is only one race, the human race. Certain people take football hostage. Some people will never learn and that is the reason for which FIFA must intervene so as to return sanity to the game and keep these people away from the stadiums."
Download the high resolution picture
Thuram had already taken part in the first FIFA Conference against Racism in Buenos Aires in July 2001, prior to the FIFA Extraordinary Congress during which the FIFA Anti-Discrimination Day was established.
Having heard Thuram's testimony, the Executive Committee approved an amendment to article 55 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code at the proposal of the FIFA President, allowing for very strict sanctions to be imposed after acts of racism or discrimination in football.
The measures range from match suspensions and deduction of points (3 points for a first offence, 6 for a second and relegation in case of further offences) to disqualification of a team from a competition, depending on the case. Confederations and member associations will be compelled to incorporate these provisions in their regulations, and any association that infringes the article can be excluded from international football for two years.
"I have repeatedly stressed FIFA's and my firm personal stance against racism and discrimination, but recent events have demonstrated that there is a need for concerted action and an urgency for more severe measures to be adopted in order to kick this evil out of the beautiful game. I am therefore extremely pleased that the football family and the FIFA Executive Committee have today taken a big step in this direction", stated the FIFA President.
Lilian Thuram congratulated FIFA for this initiative, stating: "Now that the clubs and associations have an obligation to find a solution, they will find the solutions necessary to eliminate this plague."
http://www.fifa.com/en/media/index/0,1369,115780,00.html
