Football: Racism is a devil, says FIFA chief

Blatter comment follows a year old sparking outrage with controversial remarks that appeared to play down the problem.

LONDON: Fifa President Sepp Blatter has described racism in football as ‘a devil’ a year after sparking outrage with controversial remarks that appeared to play down the problem. The Swiss was widely criticised in Britain last November when in an interview with CNN he denied there was racism in the sport and said any incidents could be settled by a handshake. Blatter, however, issued a statement clarifying his remarks shortly afterwards. He again underlined his stance on racism, saying a simple handshake was not enough. “What you can do by a handshake is try to make peace,” said Blatter. “You cannot eradicate racism by a handshake. To eradicate this devil is an educational problem. If the school is not educating, if the family is no longer educating, sport must educate. But sport cannot do everything.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2012.