South African Fifa committee member and anti-apartheid activist Tokyo Sexwale on Friday criticised Sepp Blatter’s denial of racism in football and slammed England for keeping John Terry as captain.
Fifa president Blatter caused global outrage this week when he said there is no racism on the pitch and that any racial abuse between players should be settled with a handshake.
“It was rather unfortunate of Blatter to utter such statements. We have had countless cases of racial slurs being spewed by players on the field of play,” said Sexwale, who sits on the football governing body’s anti-racism committee.
“You can’t mitigate racist slurs with a handshake. No handshake can repair this damage,” he added.
“Such statements are damaging. Its consequences cannot be known.”
Not a racist
But he said he does not believe Blatter is racist.
“Mr Blatter is well known worldwide as a champion against racism and discrimination,” he said, crediting the Fifa president with the decision to give Africa the 2010 World Cup.
“It is therefore completely unthinkable to refer to such a man as a racist.”
Blatter’s comments came as Liverpool’s Uruguayan international Luis Suarez was charged by the English Football Association (FA) with using racist language against Manchester United’s French international Patrice Evra.
England captain Terry is also facing a police and FA investigation over allegations he hurled racist abuse at QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.
‘Worrisome’
Sexwale lashed out at England for keeping Terry as captain.
“The most worrisome is the case involving Chelsea captain John Terry where he is being investigated for racial remarks he made against [Ferdinand],” he said.
“John Terry is also the captain of the English national team. It is not helpful for any side to have honoured him with the captain’s armband whilst the indiscretion against another player is still so fresh in the mind.”
He said he hoped Blatter’s remarks would raise awareness of racism in football, particularly in European associations.
“Great players like Pele and Eto’o have suffered racism in football. So it is there,” he said.
‘Painful stories’
“I have had conversations with both players in my capacity as member of the anti-racism committee and they told me painful stories.”
Sexwale called for tough action against players found guilty of racism.
“Punishment should involve suspension. Paying a fine alone is not enough. These people are paid a lot of money. Hit them where it hurts the most,” he said.
On Thursday, Fifa posted a picture on its web site of Blatter giving a hug to Sexwale, who spent 12 years in the same prison as Nelson Mandela for conspiring to overthrow South Africa’s white-minority government.
I’m sorry
Blatter apologised on Friday for his “unfortunate comments” on racism in the game but rejected calls to resign as head of world football’s governing body.
“It hurts and I am still hurting because I couldn’t envisage such a reaction,” Blatter told the BBC in an interview, admitting he had used “unfortunate words” which he “deeply regretted”.
“When you have done something which was not totally correct, I can only say I am sorry for all those people affected by my declarations.”
But when asked about calls from a British minister and others that he should quit for his remarks suggesting that disputes on the pitch involving racist abuse should be resolved by a handshake, he refused.
“I cannot resign. Why should I?” he said.
Scorn
With several top footballers facing allegations of hurling racial abuse at opponents on the pitch, Blatter sparked an angry reaction on Wednesday by suggesting that players involved in such incidents could settle the matter with a simple handshake.
Blatter plunged himself into more controversy on Wednesday when he told CNN that players who suffer racial abuse should simply shake hands with their abuser.
Blatter — who was re-elected unopposed earlier this year amid claims of corruption within Fifa — added he didn’t believe that racism was prevalent within football.
His claims came on the back of a Football Association (FA) and police investigation into whether England captain John Terry racially abused Queenspark Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand and the announcement by the FA on Wednesday they had charged Uruguayan Luis Suarez with racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Blatter, however, insisted that generally racism did not exist within the sport and there was no need for investigations into claims by the likes of Evra and Ferdinand.
“There is no racism, but maybe there is a word or gesture which is not the correct one,” the 75-year-old Blatter told CNN World Sport.
“The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands.”
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, brother of Anton, wrote on Twitter that he was “astonished” by Blatter’s reported comments.
“Sepp Blatter your comments on racism are so condescending it’s almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that ok?” Ferdinand wrote. “I feel stupid for thinking that football was taking a leading role against racism … it seems it was just on mute for a while.” — Sapa, AFP, Reuters