By Andrew Warshaw
May 14 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has once again reacted to the latest incident of racial abuse by fans, denouncing the Italian authorities for being too weak and saying lessons have still not been learned.
After tweeting his disgust over what happened in Sunday’s Serie A encounter between AC Milan and Roma, when three Milan players were victims of racist chants, Blatter has underlined his contempt in an interview with FIFA’s own website, and reacting immediately to the financial penalty imposed on Roma.
Play was stopped early in the second half at the San Siro by the referee because of chanting by visiting Roma fans. Warnings were broadcast over the public address system and the game resumed immediately afterwards.
“I think lessons have not been learned,” said Blatter. “It is incredible that we had such incidents especially in the Italian Serie A in the San Siro between AC Milan and Roma, a very important match. The referee had to stop the match for a few minutes in order to bring back calm.”
Blatter hopes a strongly worded resolution being presented at the FIFA Congress in Mauritius later this month, drawn up by FIFA’s new anti-discrimination Task Force, will have the desired effect, though it is perhaps wishful thinking.
He was incredulous that the Italian FA, which had promised a crackdown after Kevin-Prince Boateng’s much-publicised walkoff in January, gave Roma a mere €50,000 slap over the knuckles.
“What is surprising and is not understandable for me, is that the Disciplinary Committee of the Italian Football Federation has taken a decision, not even 24 hours after the event, by just imposing a fine,” said Blatter.
“They have not made any investigation of what happened. And just to give a pecuniary sanction is not valid, that is not acceptable. You will always find money. What is €50.000 for such an incident? I’m not happy and I will call the Italian Federation. That’s not a way to deal with such matters.”
Blatter said he hoped member nations would rally round in Mauritius and put out a strong message. “In this resolution, there are foreseen sanctions. And these sanctions must be applied all around the world. That’s why we need the Congress’s decision that will bind together all the 209 associations. This is very important.”
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