NEWS FROM CLAUDE MORAES MEP

4 May 2006

"FIFA must honour its promise to kick racism out of World Cup" says MEP

Labour MEP Claude Moraes will criticise FIFA for backing down on its recent commitment to tackle football racism during the World Cup in Germany in a keynote speech alongside German Sports Minister Hans Bernhard Beus in Berlin tomorrow (Friday 5 May).

Claude Moraes MEP, who recently launched an initiative in the European Parliament to combat racism in football, will criticise FIFA President Sepp Blatter for reneging on key commitments made in March. He will be speaking at a special conference in the British Embassy.

Earlier this year FIFA committed to impose sanctions on football clubs if players or supporters identified with their club become involved in racism during matches at the World Cup. Sanctions included the deduction of points, disqualification of a team from competition, fines against individual players, exclusion of fans from stadiums, and powers for referees to blow the final whistle on a match when a racist incident occurs.

FIFA said it would compel fan clubs and members' associations to sign up to these rules or jeopardise their clubs' chances of international competition.

Mr Moraes will urge FIFA to stick to its promises.

He said: “We now understand from Mr Blatter that such measures will only be implemented after the World Cup. It is a great pity that we will miss the golden opportunity of showing that European football authorities will take racism seriously by imposing genuine sanctions that hurt.

"The alarming increase in racist incidents in Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe is a call to action for FIFA. As we host the biggest football showcase on earth, Europe cannot afford to send a message to African and other nations that we tolerate racism in our game."

In his speech, Claude Moraes will also address the increase in sex trafficking, adverts for sex services in German cities and the need for English fans to get the balance right between good humour and causing offence to the host nation./ENDS

For media enquiries, contact the office of Claude Moraes MEP.

Notes:
Claude Moraes MEP was responsible for the written declaration tackling racism in football which was signed by a record number of 423 MEPs. He is President of the Parliament’s Anti-Racism and Diversity All-Party Group and Labour MEP for London. He has been actively promoting good practice from UK clubs such as Charlton FC in their work to tackle racism.

Football for All: Football, Ethnic Minorities and the World Cup. Breaking Down Barriers; Celebrating Diversity. A Conference at the British Embassy in Berlin on 5 May 2006 will take place at WilhelmStrasse 70, 10117 Berlin at 9am. Speakers will include the German Sports Minister Dr Hans Bernhard Beus, Sir Peter Torry, British Ambassador to Germany, Simon Johnson of the FA and ex-players Garth Crooks, and Anthony Baffoe.