UEFA to clamp down on racists

UEFA are threatening to impose suspensions of up to three seasons on people found guilty of racist abuse.

Black English players have been targeted in recent weeks while playing abroad in international and European matches.

UEFA say they are determined to eradicate the problem although they are stopping short of long-term bans.

“Punishment for life is a definite thing and doesn’t give any chance of anyone correcting their way of behaving,” said chief executive Gerhard Aigner.

“I think, yes, we should be firm. We should ban them for a certain period of time.

“We are talking about years; a season, two seasons, three seasons depending on the seriousness of the case.”

The most recent case involved England duo Emile Heskey and Ashley Cole during the Euro 2004 qualifier in Slovakia.

Aigner said the inquiry into the abuse the two players suffered is ongoing.

“We are at the moment putting together all the evidence that is available,” he said.

“There seems to be more evidence than we had in other other cases. All possibilities are open.

“We can only base (the punishment) on the evidence that we are being given.

“Although players or officials may have made declarations to the media after the game when it comes to witnessing and providing evidence there is little response. So we cannot just base it on media reports.”

Aigner said they will continue to work with the relevant authorities in trying to drive racists out of the game.

“We will do what we have done in the past and hope that the government and the police forces will continue to support us,” he said.

“It gives us great concern that we are embarking on such trends as we have seen in the last few weeks.

“We will obviously have to deal with it in a very firm way. But we also have to acknowledge there seems to be a lack of education among young people in society.

“This is a very uncivilised and very uneducated way for people to behave. We just can’t walk away from the problem, we have to deal with it.”