Blatter out of touch ...! SMH

[Sir X]

Rio Ferdinand 'astonished' by Sepp Blatter comments on racism

Page last updated at [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, 'MS sans serif']21:38 GMT, Wednesday, 16 November 2011[/FONT]

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Blatter denies racism in football

England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has said he is astonished by Sepp Blatter's claim that football does not have on-field racism problems.
The Fifa president said incidents on the pitch could be settled by a handshake after the game, but later claimed he had been misunderstood.
"Tell me I have just read Blatter's comments wrong... if not then I am astonished," said Ferdinand on Twitter.
Ferdinand later sent a direct tweet to the 75-year-old head of world football.
In it, he said: "Your comments on racism are so condescending it's almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that OK?"
The former England captain later added: "I feel stupid for thinking that football was taking a leading role against racism - it seems it was just on mute for a while."
Continue reading the main story

It's ironic that Sepp Blatter should come out and talk like that because we've worked hard to get Fifa to have anti-racism on the agenda

Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor
Blatter's comments come at a time when Chelsea captain John Terry is being investigated by the police and the Football Association over alleged racist remarks made to Ferdinand's brother, QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, in a recent game between the two sides.
Liverpool's Luis Suarez has also been charged by the Football Association for alleged racist comments towards Ferdinand's Manchester United team-mate Patrice Evra.
Asked whether he thought racism on the pitch was a problem in modern-day football, Blatter told CNN World Sport: "I would deny it. There is no racism.
"There is maybe one of the players towards another - he has a word or a gesture which is not the correct one.
"But the one who is affected by that, he should say 'this is a game'. We are in a game, and at the end of the game, we shake hands, and this can happen, because we have worked so hard against racism and discrimination."

Sepp Blatter has to go - Robbie Savage

Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts felt that Blatter's comments were incredibly misplaced.
"I'm truly shocked by his comments," said Roberts. "For him to say this in public is either very honest or very foolish.
"I am absolutely disgusted, lost for words, I cannot believe he has said something like that with all the issues that have gone on, I am absolutely fuming."
Several former Premier League players including Stan Collymore,Mark Bright and Robbie Savage have subsequently called for Blatter to resign.
Former Crystal Palace and Sheffield Wednesday striker Bright said: "To say I was staggered would be an understatement.
"This is the head of world football, whose slogan is 'For the Good of the Game'. What message does this send out after two or three decades of hard work fighting racism in football?
"I think he should resign his position, because his views are archaic and out of touch."
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore argued that is was in correct to suggest that racism is no longer a problem in football.
"Racism exists in the world, racism certainly still exists in football, albeit reduced," Scudamore told CNN.
"There are still issues, of course there are and we're not complacent about that, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to say it doesn't exist because it does."
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, former Tottenham Hotspur strikerGarth Crooks said: "Clearly Sepp Blatter is a man who's never suffered from racism. I'm shocked and somewhat dismayed.
"Football has to be very careful. It's the one industry that somehow sees itself as above the law. It is not.
ANALYSIS

Continue reading the main storyJames Pearce,
BBC sports news correspondent
This is one of Sepp Blatter's worst gaffes, without a doubt. On the day that Blatter says there is no racism in football, the FA has charged Luis Suarez with just that. The FA is taking a tough stance on racism and this could lead to a lengthy ban, potentially. If someone is found guilty of racial abuse the FA will, I'm sure, throw the book at them.

"Players, however glorified, are employees and have to abide by the law. Sepp is a man out of time and out of touch."
Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor added: "It's ironic that Sepp Blatter should come out and talk like that because we've worked hard to get Fifa to have anti-racism on the agenda.
"As the president of Fifa, he's got to be shouting from the top of the hills that it's unacceptable on the pitch. We want players to set an example to the rest of the world and particularly the supporters."
Blatter later sought to clarify his comments in a statement on Fifa's website.
"My comments have been misunderstood. What I wanted to express is that, as football players, during a match, you have 'battles' with your opponents, and sometimes things are done which are wrong.
"But, normally, at the end of the match, you apologise to your opponent if you had a confrontation during the match, you shake hands, and when the game is over, it is over."
Anti-racism group Kick It Out said the initial comments revealed a worrying failure of leadership from Blatter.
"Shaking hands to compensate for a racial slur is not what the game has signed up to, and trivialises the work of campaigns like Kick It Out," it said in a statement.
"But leadership is needed to make headway. And comments like this don't help in the ultimate goal of kicking racism out football and making it a discrimination-free zone."

[Sir X]

Proof to me it was all a joke , and I applaud ETO for trying to walk off the field, we are still less than human , even in football where the highest paid player is an african.

[Mosiah]

why...yuh know what...

[Skeng DX]

PFA chief calls for Fifa president Sepp Blatter to resign

Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor has demanded that Sepp Blatter resign as Fifa president over his comments on racism.

Blatter claimed that football does not have on-field problems with racism.

However Taylor told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "When you see the corruption they've had at Fifa, I just feel it's the straw that broke the camel's back.

"The comments he made about homosexuals not going to Qatar; it's time to move over for Michel Platini."

Taylor was reacting to comments made by Blatter in two separate television interviews when the Swiss leader of football's world governing body was asked whether he thought racism on the pitch was a problem in modern-day football.

"I would deny it. There is no racism," said Blatter.

Blatter's comments are the latest controversy to hit Fifa, which has been led by the 75-year-old since 1998.

Former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam was banned from football for life earlier this year after being found guilty of attempted bribery, while vice-president Jack Warner, who was suspended pending an investigation into bribery allegations, resigned.


Blatter has previously caused outrage when he suggested England had over-reacted in stripping John Terry of the national team's captaincy, compared Cristiano Ronaldo's move from Manchester United to Real Madrid as slavery and said the women's game would be improved by "tighter shorts".

On Thursday, the Swiss used social networking website Twitter to point out Fifa's ongoing work to eradicate racism from football.

He tweeted: "We have done several joint activities to raise awareness on the struggle against racism in South Africa...FIFA has a long standing and proud record in the area of anti-discrimination which will continue."

Shadow Sports Minister Clive Efford has also called for Blatter to step down.

Efford told the BBC Blatter's comments were "utterly unacceptable and totally outrageous" and "show how he is deeply rooted in a bygone era".

He added: "Football in Great Britain has made fantastic progress to show racism the red card. This excellent work is undermined when the president of football's international governing body makes such despicable comments - he should resign."

Sports minister Hugh Robertson stopped short of calling for Blatter's resignation but he told BBC Radio 5 live: "What Sepp Blatter said, in this country, is just completely wrong as well as being morally indefensible.

"Racism is a criminal offence in this country and anybody who's caught indulging in it will face criminal sanctions.

"But yes, if you're going to put pressure on Fifa, it's going to need more than an outcry in this country - and I think that commercial pressure is the one that in the end will tell."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/15772629.stm

[TDowl]

Sepp Blatter's claims provoke outrage




Updated Nov 17, 2011 2:12 AM ET



AROUND THE WORLD ...























FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Wednesday night provoked a furious backlash after claiming racist abuse between players on the pitch should be settled by a handshake.
On a day when England's Football Association charged Liverpool's Luis Suarez with racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra, and with a racism investigation against Chelsea's John Terry still going on, in two television interviews Blatter said racism on the field of play is not a problem.
His suggested solution was for a handshake to settle any issue — provoking Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand to express his "astonishment."
Asked if he thought there was racism on the pitch, the FIFA president told CNN World Sport: "I would deny it. There is no racism, there is maybe one of the players towards another, he has a word or a gesture which is not the correct one, but also the one who is affected by that.
"He should say that this is a game. We are in a game, and at the end of the game, we shake hands, and this can happen, because we have worked so hard against racism and discrimination.
"I think the whole world is aware of the efforts we are making against racism and discrimination. And, on the field of play sometimes you say something that is not very correct, but then at the end of the game, the game is over and you have the next game where you can behave better."
He also said on Al Jazeera: "During a match you may say something to someone who's not looking exactly like you, but at end of match it's forgotten."
Manchester United and England defender Ferdinand said on his Twitter account: "Tell me I have just read Sepp Blatter's comments on racism in football wrong... if not then I am astonished.
"I feel stupid for thinking that football was taking a leading role against racism.....it seems it was just on mute for a while.
"Just for clarity if a player abuses a referee, does a shake of the hand after the game wipe the slate clean??"
Players chief Gordon Taylor told BBC Radio Five Live: "It's ironic that Sepp Blatter should come out and talk like that because we've worked hard to get FIFA to have anti-racism on the agenda.
"It's very insensitive and inappropriate at this time.
"When as the president of FIFA he's got to be shouting from the top of the hills that it's unacceptable on the pitch. We want players to set an example to the rest of the world and particularly the supporters."
A FIFA statement after the interviews read on Wednesday: "Sepp Blatter has been campaigning against racism in football for many, many years.
"His comments today in no way reflect that passionate stance."
Blatter released a statement on www.fifa.com to clarify his stance on fighting racism, claiming his comments had been misunderstood.
The statement said: "I would like to make it very clear, I am committed to the fight against racism and any type of discrimination in football and in society.
"I have been personally leading this battle against racism in football, which FIFA has been fighting against throughout the past years through campaigns in all of our competitions such as the 'Say no to racism' campaign.

FIFA CORRUPTION SCANDAL

"I also know that racism unfortunately continues to exist in football, and I have never denied this. I know that it is a big problem in society, and that it also affects sport.
"I strongly believe that we should continue to fight all together against racism on and off the field of play, in order to eradicate this plague.
"My comments have been misunderstood. What I wanted to express is that, as football players, during a match, you have 'battles' with your opponents, and sometimes things are done which are wrong. But, normally, at the end of the match, you apologise to your opponent if you had a confrontation during the match, you shake hands, and when the game is over, it is over.
"Anyone who has played a football match, or a match in any sport, knows that this is the case.
"Having said that, I want to stress again that I do not want to diminish the dimension of the problem of racism in society and in sport.
"I am committed to fighting this plague and kicking it out of football."
Ferdinand continued to express his digust at Blatter's comments and directly contacted the FIFA president's Twitter page, writing: "@SeppBlatter your comments on racism are so condescending its almost laughable. If fans shout racist chants but shake our hands is that ok?"
Anti-racism group Kick It Out also condemned Blatter and claimed his comments revealed a "worrying" lack of leadership on the subject.
"These comments are worryingly out of touch," the statement began.
"Shaking hands to compensate for a racial slur is not what the game has signed up to, and trivialises the work of campaigns like Kick It Out, which has been in the vanguard of rooting out discrimination and unacceptable behaviour in our game for the best part of two decades.
"High profile incidents have brought the issue of racism back into sharp focus.
"But complaints are still being lodged at grass roots level.
"Shaking hands doesn't resonate with the zero-tolerance approach we encourage and certainly wouldn't resonate with the victim of the abuse.
"Report the incident to the regulatory body, and the investigation process begins.
"If it's found to be proven, action must be taken. New challenges and questions are being posed in this field every day.
"But leadership is needed to make headway. And comments like this don't help in the ultimate goal of kicking racism out football and making it a discrimination free zone."

[Sickko]

Wasnt this the same man who said female players should wear shorter shorts and tighter shirts????

[Lazie]

Everybody get outraged now ... when Busquet was caught on camera calling Marcelo a monkey what was his punishment? He wasn't even charged. A country like Russia where Roberto Carlos was offered a banana will be hosting the 2018 World Cup. Bulgaria, Italy to name a few .... the fans have their monkey chants during football games and not only that ... they use other means to abuse players ..... was there any punishment for such acts?

So why everybody get upset with Blatters' comments?

[Jangle]

Blatter is an idiot. They live in their glass mansions and are so far removed from the realities of life that this latest comment comes as no surprise. The entire European Union is just like Blatter also and Platini is just waiting in the wings to take over FIFA and crush the smaller regions. For Platini and his crew, they just want to take back control of world football by increasing Europe's power.

[Gamma]

because they want him gone! england is quick on this one and this time they can take some kind of moral high ground ... timing is everything ... suarez was charged so there is proof that they are on the cutting edge of wiping out racism. remember also that russia is supposed to have racism issues too oh and they happen to be the hosts for the 2018 WC which england wanted and blatter's FIFA did not give it to them.... i am watching this with keen interest

[Gamma]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...dinand?cc=3888

[Gamma]

even the picture of blatter mek him look like a raving lunatic ...... di campaign a ramp up!

[Sickko]

Because he is the face of the sport, the president of the global ruling body and his words carry more weight that a national coach or idiot fans and he is expected to make sense....no?

[Pbanta]

Read

Blatter is an idiot. They live in their glass mansions and are so far removed from the realities of life that this latest comment comes as no surprise. The entire European Union is just like Blatter also and Platini is just waiting in the wings to take over FIFA and crush the smaller regions. For Platini and his crew, they just want to take back control of world football by increasing Europe's power.

http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organi...voiceofthesite

[Sickko]

Thats interesting because many thought the former head of UEFA. the Swedish fellow Johansonn would have been next in line for the FIFA job but the Blatter/Platini cartel squeezed him out so there are further infightings in the inner circles

[Sir X]

I dont see Platini getting it , the chaos created by Blatter , has left the football world anti-european , i see it going to asia , ,s.america, the middle east or africa.

Blatter has damaged Platini.